⚖️ Polygyny: rulings & justice · #56
Did prophets other than Muhammad ﷺ also have more than one wife?
Yes. The Quran and historical sources mention several prophets with more than one wife, among them Ibrahim with Sarah and Hajar; polygamy did not begin with Islam — rather, Islam limited it and made it conditional on justice.
The story of Hajar and her son Ismaʿil, settled in the valley of Makkah, is mentioned in Ibrahim's prayer (Ibrahim 14:37) and narrated at length in Sahih al-Bukhari (3364), while Sarah appears in the story of the angelic guests (Hud 11:71). Before Islam, Arabs married without limit; Islam set the limit of four and the condition of justice (an-Nisa' 4:3). Understanding this history helps one see polygamy as a conditional permission, not an obligation, and not a practice to boast about without responsibility. See History of polygamy.
The story of Hajar and her son Ismaʿil, settled in the valley of Makkah, is mentioned in Ibrahim's prayer (Ibrahim 14:37) and narrated at length in Sahih al-Bukhari (3364), while Sarah appears in the story of the angelic guests (Hud 11:71). Before Islam, Arabs married without limit; Islam set the limit of four and the condition of justice (an-Nisa' 4:3). Understanding this history helps one see polygamy as a conditional permission, not an obligation, and not a practice to boast about without responsibility. See History of polygamy.
Sources
Surah Ibrahim 14:37Sahih al-Bukhari 3364Surah Hud 11:71Surah an-Nisa' 4:3