返回总目录
Birth Rates
Birth Rates
Some Muslims argue for polygamy
because sometimes it is needed. Statistically, women almost always
outnumber men in any given population. Are some women supposed to
be confined to life alone because there is no man for them to marry?
But that is not true.
The Encyclopædia Britannica (15th edition) states in Volume 7, p. 998,
in the section:
Genetics, Human
... Reliably, in almost all human populations studied
at birth, there is a slight excess of males; about 106
boys are born for each 100 girls. Throughout life, however,
there is a slightly greater mortality of males; this slowly
alters the sex ratio until, beyond the age of 50 years,
there is an excess of females.
This means in particular that in the usual age when people
consider marriage, i.e. in the range of about 18-40 years,
there are more men in each age group than women.
[See also the very detailed listing regarding sex ratios
for nearly all countries of the world in the
CIA Fact Book.]
The higher number of women is only AFTER the age of 50.
The following questions come to mind: Of those Muslims who
practice polygamy, how many are marrying a women 50 years
old or older to be their second wife or further wife? Or
even their first wife?
Aren't in most polygamous marriages the additional wives YOUNG
women, and as such taking away the women of suitable age from
the young men who are looking for a partner?
This leads to the concluding question: Are not Muslim men who
are marrying a young second wife making the already existing
imbalance worse and are as such inconsiderate of the younger
men since they are making it harder on them to find an
appropriate wife?
The only statement about polygamy from a Muslim that I find
acceptable is "Polygamy is allowed because Allah said so."
Do not claim it is right or even necessary because
of birth ratios etc. Because that is objectively false.
If you argue for the necessity of polygamy due to imbalance
of the sexes (however this might have come about), are you
willing to allow several husbands for a woman in those
societies or circumstances where the balance is tilted the
other way? If not, then this shows that "ratios" never was
the true reason. It is only brought into the discussion
to justify with some outside argument what the Qur'an states
is the (permissive) will of God, but which many Muslims
feel they have to defend with other arguments since they
feel uncomfortable about just leaving it as "the will of God".
Further reading
A response to the claims of Zakir Naik on Polygamy
Deception
as a means for support: Dr Naik's lies uncovered (off site) is a similar
but less polite analysis
Women Issues
Answering Islam Home Page