Muslim culture has merged with non-Muslim culture. As a result, some strange questions are being born among Muslims, such as what is prescriptive on wife sharing in Islam?
Muslims are bound to give their wives the highest status, and a Muslim loves his wife like a diamond. Muslims are strongly encouraged to respect and love their wives.
If someone changes his wife with another man, the wife’s honor is significantly degraded. Similarly, it is proved that her husband’s love for his wife is lacking.
But the sad truth is that this disrespectful act towards women is prevalent in different parts of the world.
But in this regard, Islam has given a respectable perspective to Muslims. I am writing the answer to that question in the article you read.
Where appropriate, references from the Qur’an, Hadith, and Muslim scholars will be included.
What is the definition of wife-sharing in Islam?
Wife sharing is a husband swapping his wife temporarily with a friend or party member. His wife will be with his friend, and he will be with his friend’s wife. Both of them will treat their friend’s wife as their wife. It is part of the western dirty culture.
Muslim scholars have derived this meaning of wife share from the prevailing practices of contemporary society and various articles.
Besides, in some cases, wife-sharing can be group-based. That is, to give one’s wife to more than one person. And it is taking another’s wife as one’s wife by more than one man.
This is a brief definition of wife-sharing. Based on this definition, we will try to understand the provision of wife-sharing in Islam.
Wife sharing in Islam – Views and opinions
Wife sharing is completely Haram in Islam and is labeled as Zina. And fornication is a great sin. Islam instructs Muslim men to keep their wives as safe and secure as possible.
Also, Islam instructs Muslim women to hide their beauty through hijab when they go out in front of other men—and not have emotional and physical relations with anyone other than their husbands.
However, the prevailing image of wife-sharing starkly contrasts the way of life prescribed for Muslims in the Qur’an and Hadith.
A Muslim man shouldn’t share his wife with another. Instead, it expresses an arrogant act and perverted taste based on an average conscience.
Prohibition of Quran and Hadith
The Islamic perspective is based on Qur’anic verses and hadith narrations. Therefore, to prove that wife-sharing in Islam is Haram, it is necessary to insert the description of Quranic verses and hadiths.
Below are some verses and hadiths in favor of wife sharing Haram.
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ 0 إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ 0 فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ
Translation: (Characteristics of Muslims are) those who preserve their genitals. But in the case of their wives and maidservants (even if they use their genitals), they will not be condemned.
And those who desire women other than these (their wives and slaves) are transgressors. (Surah Mu’minun – Verses – 5-7)
In another verse Allah says:
وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤی اِنَّهٗ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً ؕ وَ سَآءَ سَبِیْلًا
Do not even approach adultery. Indeed, that is obscenity and misguidance. (Surah Bani Israel 17)
In a hadith narrated by Abu Umama – Radiyallahu
Ta’ala Anhu – a man came to the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said, O Messenger of Allah, allow me to commit adultery.
The Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – said to him, “Would you like someone to do this to your mother or sister or brother-in-law?” He said – no, I don’t like it.
Then he said to that man, May Allah forgive your sins, purify your heart, and protect your private parts. (Narrated by al-Tabarani and others and authenticated by al-Albani)
It is proved by the verses of the Holy Qur’an and the hadiths that wife sharing is strictly forbidden in Islam.
Opinions of Islamic scholars
Islamic scholars all agree that wife sharing is Haram in Islam. It comes from Western civilization. And the philosophy of life of Westerners is different from that of Muslims.
In Western society, Allah is not respected, and they do not live according to the Quran and Hadith. Most of them are atheists, and they think their conscience and intellect are supreme.
But in Islam, that kind of life is regarded as animalistic. An Islamic scholar named Hafiz Javed Osman Rabbani said, “Haya is an invaluable asset for Muslims.”
But now Muslims are losing that wealth as they mix with non-Muslim culture. Instead, they are changing their wives.
However, this action is prohibited by the Qur’an and Hadith. From the beginning of Islam till now, no Muslim has given it the slightest leeway.
The Significance of Wife Sharing in Islamic Culture and Society
Social media is the best place to get a fluent and detailed discussion of the thoughts and practices of the Muslim community.
We have seen Muslims discussing wife sharing in Islam in great detail on social media. A person named Shafiq Sahak on social media Quora said it was haram.
Besides, there has been a lot of discussion about this issue on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Almost every Muslim has forbidden it and considered it a horrific act.
FAQs
Is wife sharing permissible in Islam?
In Islam, the concept of wife-sharing, or polygamy, is not allowed. Islam allows a man to have up to four wives under certain conditions but does not accept the idea of a woman having more than one husband.
What does Islam say about monogamy and polygamy?
Islam allows a man to have more than one wife but with certain conditions. This includes treating each wife fairly and equally. Four marriages are recognized and accepted in Islam by following all these conditions.
Under what circumstances is polygamy allowed in Islam?
Polygamy is permitted in Islam under certain circumstances, such as when a man can provide for more than one wife emotionally, financially, and physically, and if he can treat each wife fairly.
Is the permission of the first wife important in polygamous marriage?
Although a man can obtain the consent of his first wife before remarrying, this is not a strict requirement in Islam. On the contrary, the emphasis is on maintaining justice and fairness among wives.
Can a woman have more than one husband in Islam?
No, Islam does not condone polygamy. A woman can marry only one man at a time.
What role do cultural practices play in the perception of wife sharing in Islam?
Cultural practices can influence the concept of wife sharing, but it is essential to distinguish between cultural traditions and religious teachings. Islamic guidelines should prevail over cultural norms.