Elucidation and Study of the Expanse of Appearance and Indication of the Āya on the Permissibility of Polygamy

Since long ago, there have been discourses among the exegetes concerning the indication of the āya on polygamy ﴾If you fear that you may not deal justly with the orphans, then marry [other] women that you like, two, three, or four﴿, especially regarding the relation between the condition and the result. Various opinions, statements, and probabilities have been expressed in correcting this relation. A tradition based on the relinquishment of one third of the Qur’ān in the middle of condition and result as well as the replacement of the verses has aggravated the ambiguity of the meaning of the āya. In order to keep essential the permissibility of polygamy, the jurists have dealt less with the indication of this āya. Explaining the expanse of the appearance and indication of this āya, the present article has brought up and criticized the two major viewpoints (of ‘Allāma Ṭabāṣabā’ī) on the relation between condition and result and then has proved and reinforced the third viewpoint in the āya, according to which the āya has proposed the permissibility of polygamy for the men who fear undertaking the guardianship of orphans would lead to the violation of their rights and properties, so that they can, in light of the women’s presence, who are a source of emotion and kindness, deal with the proper training and educating the orphan children.