Polemic Polygamy in Indonesia

Kintan Calvina Aurellya

0802518154 // MD18A

Reported by the article of Historia.id about the case of polygamy in Indonesia, in July and August 2019, spread a poster about “How to quickly find four wives”. The Indonesia Polygamy forum as the organizer collected a fee of 3.5 million for each male participant and half the price for female participant. 

The latest data from the Ministry of Religion shows a decline in polygamy. In 2012, the figure reached 995. That number shrank to 794 2013. 691 (2014), 689 (2015), and 643 (2016). This the number of registered polygamy. 

The marriage practise of polygamy has been hotly debated in Indonesia for years. Some consider it normal for a man to take more than one spouse, while others see it as unjust behaviour that undermines women’s rights everywhere. 

Islam considers polygamy as ‘mubah’, which means it’s not technically prohibited, but not really recommended either. Religious law mandates that a Muslim man is allowed to have up to four wives, so long as he is able to treat them all fairly.

in my opinion, that the ability of polygamy in Islam is not final and free of value. There are conditions where polygamy can be practiced. There are values ​​that must be met before practicing polygamy. Because the principle of polygamy should not be based on mere lust, it should not insult and torture women.