Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c16.12

c16.12

In brief, the climatic conditions of Arabia the birth-place of Islam, Muhammads life-style as a model for Muslims, and injunctions in the Quran and the Hadis, determined Muslim psychology about women. Islam permits polygamy with unbelievable liberality. A man can have four wives at any point of time, that is, if he chooses to have a fifth one, he can divorce one of the already at hand and keep the number within the legal limits of four. Besides, he can have as many slave girls or concubines as he pleases. It is related in the Hadis that Muhammad said that when the servant of God marries, he perfects half his religion Consequently in Islam, even the ascetic orders are rather married than single.¹⁴ In Islam there is provision for temporary marriage (*muta*), multi-marriages, divorce, remarriage of widows, concubinage - in short, there is freedom from all inhibitions and reservations in matters of sex. The insistence is on everybody marrying and celibacy is frowned upon. According to a tradition derived from Ibn Abbas and quoted by Ibn Sad, popularly known as Katib al-Waqidi the Prophets biographer, Muhammad said that in my *ummah*, he is the best who has the largest number of wives.¹⁵