I want to comment on The Jakarta Post’s headline titled “Polygamy: Kartini, The Law and The Long Road Ahead”, April 21.

The author of this headline wrote that Muhammad SAW once rejected his son-in-law’s request to be polygamous. Julia Suryakusuma once gave a comment on Aa Gym second marriage, in The Jakarta Post’s “Point of View” also wrote the same about the refusal (forgot the published date). But too bad, both of the authors didn’t wrote “why”. In which, the actual reason behind the refusal was because the would-be-married girl was the daughter of Abu Jahl (kafir/infidel people, Allah’s SWT enemy). I quote :

Muhammad SAW said that “ Bani Hasyim bin Mughirah ask to marry their daughters with Ali bin Abu Thalib, so I will not allow it, I will not allow it, I will not allow it, unless he divorce my daughter and marry theirs. Fatima is part of me, what doubts her—doubts me too, whoever hurts her—hurts me either.” (hadith: Imam Bukhari: 5/2004 and Imam Muslim: 4/1902)

“It won’t unite, the daughter of Allah’s prophet with the daughter of Allah’s enemy, forever.” (Syarhu Muslim: 5/313)

“Marrying Abu Jahl’s daughter will hurt me—hurts Allah’s prophet is haram (sinful, based on ijma)” [Fathul Bari: 9/328]

Whether both authors didn’t know about the complete fact or they knew—but didn’t wrote the whole story, is a pity because the lack information about it could lead to different interpretations that some people use it against polygamy.

Polygamy is allowed in Islam, as long as men are able to be fair and several rules include. If they’re not able to, don’t even think or try to (Qur’an: surah An Nisa 3, in hadith: Adhwa’ul Bayan 3/22 by Syaikh Muhammad Amin Asy-Syinqithi rahimahullah).