Why Malaysia's polygamy laws must be reformed

COMMENT | The Prophet’s marriage to Khadijah binti Khuwaylid is one of Islam’s most powerful and enduring love stories. While they met and married at a time where men would ravenously engage in unlimited polygamous marriages, the Prophet remained monogamous in his marriage to her till her passing 25 years later.

In his time, he would have been known as a radical, having used his observation of the community and common sense to also abandon other traditional practices that were considered social norms, such as female infanticide (the Prophet and Khadija had four daughters) and female circumcision.

The Prophet and Khadijah encouraged and supported each other through their business and personal endeavours. When the Prophet ran into her arms after his blessed first encounter with Jibrail, she wrapped her cloak around him, held his trembling body until he was comforted, and became the very first follower of this religion that he now bore.

Between them was a love that could not and didn’t want to be shared.

The Prophet only entered into polygamous unions after Khadijah’s passing in 619 CE...