Question: In the Holy Quran, one verse regarding plurality of wives says:
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً
“If you fear that you will not be able to act justly, then [marry] only one.”
Whereas elsewhere it says:
وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ
“And you will never be able to do complete justice between wives, however much you may desire it.”
The first verse makes justice a condition for marrying more than one woman, while the second verse explains that establishing justice is impossible. Does this mean that the first verse is abrogated and, as a result, one may marry only one woman? Since the condition of justice cannot be fulfilled, clarification is needed.
Answer: There is no contradiction between the two verses, and one verse does not abrogate the other, because justice here means the justice that is within human capacity, which is fairness in setting the turn (rotation) and in providing maintenance and sustenance. As for love and intimate relations and similar matters, justice in them is beyond human capacity, and the justice mentioned in Allah’s statement:
وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ
refers to this very justice. This is because the Prophet ﷺ used to divide his turns among his wives fairly and act justly, then he would say:
اللهم هذا قسمي فيما املك فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا املك
“O Allah! This is my division in what is within my power, so do not blame me regarding what is in Your power and not in mine.” والله ولي التوفيق
