THE ISSUE OF POLYGAMY

   Polygamy has still become an actual topic to discuss. People react this issue in different opinions.
   Today in the 21st Century polygamy persists and is legally permitted in Muslim majority Indonesia. The 1974 Marriage Act in Article 3 states that a husband may have up to four wives on condition that the wife consents.
    Further Article 5 cites three instances where a husband may practise polygamy: the wife is unable to execute the obligation of a wife; the wife has acquired a bodily handicap or incurable disease; the wife is unable to bear children.
    Woman’s rights advocates reject this provision of the law as it works against women. They perceive the conditions that allow a husband to practise polygamy are from perspective of the husband’s interests.
    Islam allows a man to have up to four wives in the context of caring for orphans, and it emphasizes that the women must be treated equally. If the man is unable to do this, the man may only have one wife. The Koran does not issue a recommendation or a command to commit polygamy.
    Thus the principle marriage in Islam is monogamy, not polygamy. Because of this polygamy should be banned.
 

From the text we infer that …