LessonsDegrees of Indication: Ẓāhir, Naṣṣ, Mufassar, Muḥkam and Obscure ExpressionsQuiz

فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ
Marry such women as are lawful for you, in twos, threes, or fours.

Permission to marry is apparent from the wording. The expressed numbers, however, particularly establish the permissible number. They do not add up to a license for nine wives; the alternatives express a maximum of four concurrent marriages.

Distinction: The general permissibility of marriage is one indication, while the numerical restriction is a specific point the wording is brought to clarify.

Opening interactive controls...

Numerical restriction in the marriage passage

Degrees of Indication: Ẓāhir, Naṣṣ, Mufassar, Muḥkam and Obscure Expressions

فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ
Marry such women as are lawful for you, in twos, threes, or fours.

Permission to marry is apparent from the wording. The expressed numbers, however, particularly establish the permissible number. They do not add up to a license for nine wives; the alternatives express a maximum of four concurrent marriages.

Distinction: The general permissibility of marriage is one indication, while the numerical restriction is a specific point the wording is brought to clarify.