Should we neglect and ignore the [ 484 ] instinct and...

Should we neglect and ignore the [ 484 ] instinct and natural needs of millions of widows, and if we do so, should we believe that our negligence will cancel and nullify the consequences of such an important need? Should we adhere to secret relationship and create freedom of illicit sexual intercourse and fornications, taking illegal mistresses and violate the sanctity of the sacred territory of marriage and wedlock through picking up girl-friends and boy-friends of the sort you know well?

Should we lead them to the brothels and to the bawdy houses? Or should we marry them lawfully and with decency, and observe their rights by justice and equity? * * * * SOME MORE DETAILS OF THIS MATTER In the pre-Islamic time which is known as the Pagan Era, the number of wives were not restricted. One man could have as many wives that he wanted or he could afford and supervise! On the other hand, marriage for a woman was not necessarily leaving her family house in order to live in the husband's.

The man could pay her visits, in times, short or long. In many instances too, the case was easy for a woman to have two or more husbands at a time! Even after the spread of Islam, some of the pagans kept on with their old customs. It was not important to the Pagan Arab, for the most purposes to know who the father of a child was! It could be enough only to know the mother, and the child did belong to the mothers family!

We know many famous Arabs contemporary to our prophet whose fathers were unknown because the mother had made love with several men at a time! As an instance we may mention, ZIAD-IBN-ABIH, which means ZIAD the son of his father. He was one of the famous courtiers of MOAVIYEH the founder of Ommayid Dynasty orcaliphate.

[ 485 ] It was due to such backgrounds that the marriage reforms of the prophet restricted the number of wives to a maximum of four to accord with the above verse and its relatively hard condition: ``If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with orphan, females, then marry a woman of your choice - two, three, or four.

But if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with all of them, then only one or that whom your right hand possess.'' Therefore, the unrestricted number of wives has been strictly limited to a maximum of four, provided you could treat them justly and in perfect equality in material things, as well as in immaterials.