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3. " and, if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans,
then marry those women who seem good to you,
two, or three, or four;
but if you (still) fear that you will not act justly (between them)
then (marry) only one or someone your right hands have acquired.
that is more proper, that you may not deviate from equity."
occasion of revelation:
before islam, it was customary in arabia among many people that
they took the orphan girls to their houses under the name of defraying and
guardianship and then they married them and appropriated their property,
too. they assigned even their dowries less than what the ordinary amount
was, since every thing was in their own hand, and when they felt the least
inconvenience from them, they would easily leave them off.
at that time the verse was revealed and instructed the guardians of
the orphans that they could marry the girl orphans if they observed justice
about them completely.
commentary:
in this verse, another right, out of the rights of the orphans, is
pointed out. it admonishes that at the time of marrying the girl orphans, if
you fear that you cannot observe the right and justice about the conditions
of matrimony, as well as their property, relinguish marrying them and refer
to other women. it says:
" and, if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry
those women who seem good to you, ..."
then, it adds that you may choose from among them two or three or
four to marry with. it says:
"... two, or three, or four; ..."
so, immediately after that it continues saying that this is in the case
that you keep the perfect justice. but, if you fear that you do not observe
justice unto those wives of yours, you must suffice to only one wife, so that
you keep away from imposing cruelty and transgression against others. it
says:
"... but if you (still) fear that you will not act justly (about them)
then ( marry) only one, ..."
or, instead of taking a second wife, you may take advantage of the
she-slave that you have, because their conditions are less heavy, although
they must enjoy of their own rights, too. it says:
"... or someone your right hands have acquired. ..."
this action ö choosing only one wife or your slave, better prevents
you from cruelty and deviating from the path of equity. it says:
"... that is more proper that you may not deviate from equity."
justice about wives:
what a man is enjoined to observe in justice about his wife is the
observance of the equity in one's practical conditions and outward aspects
of life, because applying justice in heartily affections is out of the ability of
man.
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explanations:
1. islam is the supporter of the deprived class of the socity, especially
the orphans, and the girl orphans in particular, emphatically on the subject
of chastity, matrimony, and misusing them.
2. it is not necessary to be assured of inequity of yourself to abandon
marrying the orphans, but probability and fear from it of your own side, is
enough either.
3. in choosing a wife, heartily willing is a principal.
4. on the whole, islam agrees with conditioned polygamy for men.
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it can be said that the wisdom of polygamy lies in the following:
1. the number of death for men in wars and accidents is larger than that of women and,
therefore, some women become widows.
2. women have monthly periods when no association occurs.
3. few of the young men are willing to marry a widow woman.
4. not all of the husbandless widows are pious or have the power to control themselves.
therefore, either, for the consent of the first husband, the rights
of the widows should be ignored, or the problem must be solved by a project.
thus, basing on some conditions, men can marry a second wife in order
to solve the difficulty of the both parties.
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