Why can't we have as many wives as the prophet did?

Assalaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,


From the age of fifteen to forty when the blood is fiery and exuberant and the passions of the soul enflamed, Prophet SAW sufficed and was content with a single older woman like Khadija the Great RA with complete chastity and purity-as is agreed by friend and foe alike. His then having numerous wives after the age of forty, that is, when bodily heat subsides and the passions are quietened, is evidence proving decisively and self-evidently to those who are even a little fair-minded that such marriages were not to satisfy the carnal appetites, but were for other important reasons and instances of wisdom.

One of those instances of wisdom is this: like his words, the actions, states, conduct, and deeds of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) are the sources of religion and the Shari‘a, and the authority for its injunctions. While the Companions transmitted the outward, public things, the transmitters and narrators of the private matters of religion and injunctions of the Shari‘a which were manifested from his private conduct in the personal sphere, were his wives; they performed this function. Perhaps half of the personal matters of religion and the injunctions concerning them come from them. That is to say, numerous wives of differing temperament were required to perform this necessary duty.

From: http://www.lightofquran.info/7letter.htm

format_quote Originally Posted by Zuzubu

Any verse to declare this?

In Surah Ahzab chapter 33 verse 52:

"It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as hand maidens) and Allah doth watch over all things ". [Al-Qur’an 33:52]

This verse clearly gives Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the permission to keep all his previous wives but prohibits him to marry any more women except those which his right hand possessed i.e. slave girls.

The Prophet (pbuh) was allowed to keep all his previous wives because no one was allowed to marry the Prophet’s wives (ra) after they were divorced or widowed as they were ummul-momineen (mother of the believers)

People falsely accuse the Prophet (pbuh) of being hypersexual, because he had eleven wives. If you read the life history of the Prophet (pbuh), only two of his marriages one with Khadija (ra), and the other, with Ayesha (ra) were marriages in the normal course. All his other marriages were contracted as a necessity and were based on various considerations.

I think one can have four wives in "One time".If you want to have more,you should wait till any of them die or you should divorce one to have another.

Does anybody have any verifiable source stating what is the most wives the Prophet(PBUH) ever had at the same time? Not that it makes any difference, but if memory serves me correctly I can not recall of any time he had more than 4 wives at the same time. I could be wrong Astagfirullah

format_quote Originally Posted by selsebil

In Surah Ahzab chapter 33 verse 52:

"It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as hand maidens) and Allah doth watch over all things ". [Al-Qur’an 33:52]

This verse clearly gives Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the permission to keep all his previous wives but prohibits him to marry any more women except those which his right hand possessed i.e. slave girls.

The Prophet (pbuh) was allowed to keep all his previous wives because no one was allowed to marry the Prophet’s wives (ra) after they were divorced or widowed as they were ummul-momineen (mother of the believers)

People falsely accuse the Prophet (pbuh) of being hypersexual, because he had eleven wives. If you read the life history of the Prophet (pbuh), only two of his marriages one with Khadija (ra), and the other, with Ayesha (ra) were marriages in the normal course. All his other marriages were contracted as a necessity and were based on various considerations.

Jazakallahu Khayran I missed seeing that post when I posted what I did. I also have since found that the limitation of 4 wifes did not come about until after his last marriage. So in no way did he violate the command as the command was not in existence until after his last marriage.

format_quote Originally Posted by Zuzubu

Woodrow he did have 9 I read in another forum. I don't know any hadith however. Wikipedia says it too.

I was corrected on that matter. I admit I was in error.

format_quote Originally Posted by Zuzubu

Also that is no excuse. He told other people to divorce women, if they had more than 4. Then why didn't he divorce his own?

See post number 6 for the answer to that.

It's quite simple really... He was given special permission from God that doesn't apply to the rest of us.

O prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makkah) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her― this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess in order that there should be no difficulty for Thee. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (33:50)

(Also refer back to post #6 in this thread, as Woodrow mentioned.)

I'm assuming you already believe the Quran to be the word of God, so this should be reason enough to drop the issue. Other reasons for marrying more than 4 wives have already been outlined for you in this thread. Many marriages were political in nature, others could be seen as examples for the rest of the believers, and since he was monogamous for most of his life, we have no reason to question his character when it comes to marrying/women.


(Also, the Prophet was probably the only one who could actually handle that many wives. Most of us probably won't even be able to handle one... So I hope you're not asking this question because you actually want to marry a bunch of women...)