Restriction of Polygyny by the Public Authority in Islamic Law Cover Image

İslâm Hukukunda Kamu Otoritesinin Çok Eşliliği Sınırlandırması
Restriction of Polygyny by the Public Authority in Islamic Law

Author(s): İbrahim Yılmaz
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Islam studies, The Ottoman Empire
Published by: Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi İlahyat Fakültesi
Keywords: Islamic Law; Family Law; Polygyny; Taaddud al-Ẕawjāt; Public Authority; Restriction;

Summary/Abstract: Polygyny, the marriage of a man with more than one woman at the same time is a well-known practiced in human history. Islamic law accepts the institution of polygyny as a substitute provision if it fulfills the certain conditions and reasons, -and limited the maximum number of wives to four. Although polygyny is mubah (permissible) in Islamic law, it is not an absolute right that every man can use arbitrarily. Thus in Islamic law, the legitimacy of polygyny has been attributed to the presence of two basic conditions: the observance of justice among co-wives and providing maintnance. However, the observance of these conditions that is left to the mercy of men leads to the exploitation of the right for practicing to polygyny and victimization of the first spouse. Therefore, inserting some restrictions for using this right has come to the agenda from time to time in Islamic legal history. The first legal arrangements concerning the restriction of the polygyny (taaddud al-zawjāt) in the history of Islamic law were indirectly made with the Family Law Decree of 1917 which was prepared in the last periods of the Ottoman Empire. Among the late Islamic jurists, the issue of the limitation of polygyny by public authority in Islamic law continues to be discussed. The civil laws of contemporary Muslim countries contain different regulations on the issue. In this article, the restriction of polygyny by the public authority in Islamic family law will be focused on.

  • Issue Year: 23/2019
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 5-28
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Turkish