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Polygamy debate flares up as Aceh plans to regulate practice
Muslim women in Indonesia have long debated polygamy, with the issue revolving primarily around the conditions that the Quran applies to the practice of a man having more than one wife at the same time.
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Three interlocked wedding bands illustrate polygamy. While public debate on polygamy dates back to the pre-independence era, it appears that the practice is seeing renewed interest among Indonesian Muslims today – in part due to social media, says one lecturer. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he Aceh legislature’s plan to pass a bylaw that eases restrictions on polygamy has reignited public debate on the controversial practice.
While Muslim women in the country have objected to polygamy since the colonial era, the practice has gained popularity in recent years. Polygamy “classes” have been set up to help men “find four wives quickly”, and even Ayo Poligami (“go polygamy”) – a Tinder-like dating app – has been developed for those interested in polygamous marriages.
Many conservative Muslims believe that Islam permits or even encourages polygamy, while others, particularly women, say that the Quran restricts polygamy and does not allow it to be practiced freely.
The heart of the controversy lies in the Quran’s Surah An-Nisa, verse 3:
“And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you – [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one – or [from among] those whom you rightfully possess. This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course.”
The debate on polygamy has existed since the first Indonesian Women’s Congress in 1928.
As Susan Blackburn writes in First Indonesian Women's Congress of 1928, Sitti Moendjijah of Aisyiyah – the women’s branch of Muhammadiyah – delivered a speech that defends Islamic marriage laws, including polygamy.
