Twenty-five. The Muslim historian Ali Dashti (1894-1982) claims that Muhammad had at least sixteen wives and a minimum of two female slaves, also called concubines Ali Dashti's list may have been compiled from the writings of the Muslim scholar and historian Al-Tabari (839 A.D.-923 A.D.)
According to The Holy Qur'an Muslims are allowed to take up to four wives.
PICKTHAL: And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice. Surah 004.003
However, Muhammad was given an exception to this Quranic passage by Allah. The below Surah is for to Muhammad only.
SHAKIR: O Prophet! surely We have made lawful to you your wives whom you have given their dowries, and those whom your right hand possesses out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of war, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who fled with you; and a believing woman if she gave herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to marry her-- specially for you, not for the (rest of) believers; We know what We have ordained for them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess in order that no blame may attach to you; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Surah 033.050
If you are a Christian, or if you know anything about the Bible, then you know that some of the Old Testament Saints took more than one wife. What you may not realize is that God never approved of polygamy. From the beginning, God desired that one man and one woman be married and to live as man and wife. Abraham, King David and King Solomon all had more than one wife and it did not turn out well for them.
Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final Prophet from God that is he has the "Seal of the Prophets" and no other prophet from God will be sent. They also believe that Muhammad was a "sinless saint" and that his life and way he conducted himself are models for humanity.
The point of this blog is not to focus on how many wives, slaves and concubine's Muhammad had, the focus should be who they were and if they were a willing participant in Muhammad's life.
We will now focus on four women that were known to be involved in the life of Muhammad, either as his wife or slave.
- Muhammad's first wife was named Khadijah. They met when Muhammad worked for her
as a caravan driver. She was fifteen years older than Muhammad; she believed and
encouraged Muhammad that he was in fact called of Allah to be His prophet. She died
- Muhammad's sixth or seventh wife, depending on the list the information is take from, was named Zaynab bint Jahsh,
- Mary, a Coptic Christian, was given to Muhammad as a gift from an Egyptian Ruler, she refused to renounce her faith and
- The most disturbing of all of Muhammad's marriages is his third wife, Ayesha. Ayesha was just six years old when