Polygamy and Islam
The Willingness of Women
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Another such incident narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Abbas concerns a woman called Burairah and her
husband, Mughith, who was a black slave.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas tells the story as if it were all
happening before his very eyes: “Mughith is
following Burairah through the paths of Medina.
He is crying and his tears are running down his
beard. Seeing him, the Prophet said to me, ‘O
‘Abbas, are you not surprised at Mughith’s love for
Burairah and Burairah’s hate for Mughith?’ Then
the Prophet said to Burairah, ‘I wish you would
take him back.’ Burairah said to the Prophet, ‘Is that
a command?’ The Prophet replied, ‘No, it is only a
recommendation.’ Then Burairah said, ‘I don’t need
your recommendation.”’
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There was an interesting case of polygamy which
took place during the Caliphate of ‘Umar ibn
al-Khattab. A certain widow, Umm Aban bint
‘Utbah had four suitors for marriage. All four—
’Umar ibn al-Khattab, ‘Ali ibn abi Talib, Zubayr and
Talhah—were already married. Umm Aban
accepted the proposal of marriage made by Talhah
and, of course, refused the other three, whereupon
she was married to Talhah.
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