Polygyny In Islam: Scriptural Foundations, Ethical Conditions, Women’s Rights And Contemporary Challenges In Uganda

Hamid Byamugenzi Amir

Polygyny In Islam: Scriptural Foundations, Ethical Conditions, Women’s Rights And Contemporary Challenges In Uganda

Author(s)	Mr. Hamid Byamugenzi Amir
Country	Uganda
Abstract	Polygyny the marriage of one man to more than one woman at the same time is a longstanding social institution that predates Islam and remains a subject of religious, legal and public debate. In Islamic jurisprudence, its permissibility is commonly grounded in Qur’an 4:3, which refers to two, three or four wives while directing a man who fears that he cannot act justly to marry only one. This article examines polygyny in relation to monogamy, its historical context, the principal Islamic textual arguments, the meaning and practical limits of justice, reasons commonly advanced for plural marriage, and its implications for women, children and family welfare. It also considers the contemporary Ugandan context, including research on women’s experiences in Kawempe Division and the Constitutional Court’s 2025 decision in Women’s Probono Initiative v Attorney General. Using a doctrinal and interpretive method, the article distinguishes Qur’anic text, juristic interpretation, historical claims, empirical findings and statutory or judicial materials. It argues that Islamic permission should not be mistaken for a universal obligation, an automatic recommendation for every man, or a licence to neglect existing wives and children. The ethical credibility of polygyny depends on justice in matters within a husband’s control, including maintenance, accommodation, time, respectful treatment and parental responsibility. The article recommends premarital education, realistic financial assessment, transparent household arrangements, improved legal literacy, safe dispute-resolution pathways and further empirical research. It concludes that discussion of polygyny should move beyond polarised approval or condemnation and evaluate the practice against the duties and safeguards that Islamic ethics and applicable law require.
Keywords	polygyny; polygamy; monogamy; Islamic family law; Qur’an 4:3; justice; women’s rights; children; Uganda.
Field	Sociology > Philosophy / Psychology / Religion
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-10-20

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Polygyny In Islam: Scriptural Foundations, Ethical Conditions, Women’s Rights And Contemporary Challenges In Uganda

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