Why are Muslims allowed to marry up to four women?

Sources

• ✓ 4:3 · An-Nisaa

  4:3 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟

  And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice.

• ✓ Sahih al-Bukhari 67:2

  Sunni SAHIH

  Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 67, Hadith 2 · Narrated by Aisha

  Urwah said he asked Aisha about the verse: 'And if you fear that you will not deal fairly with the orphans, marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or what your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].' She said: O my nephew, the orphan girl would be under the guardianship of her custodian who desires her wealth and beauty and wishes to marry her off for less than a proper marriage gift. They forbade marrying them except after justice was done in fulfilling their dowry, and they commanded marrying other women.

• ✓ Al-Kafi 3:207

  Shia

  Al-Kafi · Book 3, Hadith 207

  I said to Abu Abdullah, "May Allah reform you, is there a tool among people by which they attain knowledge?" He said, "No." I said, "Then, are they obligated to knowledge?" He said, "No. Allah clarifies. He does not burden any soul except within its capacity, and He does not burden any soul except with what He has given it." I asked him about the words: "And Allah would not mislead a people after He had guided them until He had made clear to them what they should fear." He said, "That is until He informs them what pleases Him and what angers Him." — OR — I asked Abu Ibrahim about carrying the funeral bier around (terbiy' al-janaza). He said: If you are in a place where you need to act with caution, begin with the right hand, then the right foot, then go back from your position to the right side of the deceased. Do not pass behind his foot until you face the funeral. Then take his left hand, then left foot; then return from your place and do not pass behind the funeral at all until you face it. Do as you did at first. But if you are not cautious, it is the Sunnah to begin with the right hand, then right foot, then left foot, then left hand until you go around it. — OR — Umrah is obligatory upon all people as Hajj is obligatory on whoever can do it, because Allah says: 'And complete the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah.' Umrah was revealed regarding Medina. I asked: For one who performs Umrah in the period of Hajj, does this suffice him from Hajj? He said: Yes. — OR — If a male slave admits before the Imam once that he has stolen, his hand is cut off, and likewise if a female slave admits to theft, her hand is cut off. — OR — Allah Almighty allowed intercourse due to the limitations of the servants' ability regarding dowry and the ability to preserve oneself. He said: 'Marry those that please you of women, two, three, or four; but if you fear you will not be just, then one, or those whom your right hand possesses.' And He said: 'And whoever among you cannot afford to marry chaste believing women, marry from the believing maidservants whom your right hands possess.' And He said: 'Whatever you enjoy from them, give them their due compensation as a duty, and there is no blame on you for what you mutually agree beyond the duty.' Allah permitted intercourse for those strong enough to guarantee dowry and the ability to restrain themselves, four wives for those capable, three, two, or one for those less capable. Whoever cannot afford one should marry a slave woman. And if he cannot hold back his desire for her, cannot marry a free woman nor purchase a slave, Allah permitted the marriage of temporary pleasure ('mut'ah') with the least dowry he can manage, and no obligation to spend on maintenance. Allah enriched every group with the strength to pay dowry and maintenance and restrain from wrongdoing; otherwise, He would not have set punishments of slander, stoning, and oaths upon them. The method of permanent marriage and owning slaves is clear and common among people because of frequent transactions. But the matter of temporary pleasure is obscure to many, due to the prohibition and making it unlawful, although it is mentioned in the revelation and reported in the comprehensive Sunnah for those who seek its cause and want to understand it. Thus, mut'ah marriage becomes lawful for the rich and poor alike, to equalize the permissibility of intercourse as they do in fulfilling pilgrimage rites. What is facilitated from the sacrifice applies to both poor and rich, so the rich are included for the sake of the poor. The laws are established based on the minimum capacity of the people so as to encompass both rich and poor. It is not possible for laws to be set differently according to individual capacities because the strength of the strong is not known apart from the weakness of the weak. Thus, the laws are placed according to the strength of the weakest among the weak. Then the strong advance for good with voluntary acts and abundance in souls and wealth. Temporary marriage is lawful for the rich and poor among those with four wives and among those with slave women, as much as they like, just as it is lawful for the one who can only afford the dowry of mut'ah. The dowry is whatever they agree upon within the limits of marriage for both rich and poor, less or more.