In the pre-Islamic Arabian society, the position of women was very bad. In those days, the customary laws of Arabia were all in favour of the males. The females were treated as properties and not as human beings.
The only object of a marriage was the enjoyment of sex and procreation of children. Limitless polygamy prevailed and a man could have as many wives at a time as he liked. Except a very few blood-relations, such as the real mother or real sister, there was no restriction in marrying a’ girl even in-one’s close relationship.
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Several kinds of marriages were recognised. But, they were almost the different forms of prostitution. The form of marriage, which was very near to the present marriage, was one in which the father or any other guardian sold the girl to the husband in the same manner as he used to sell his camels or sheep.
There was no check, direct or indirect, upon the absolute right of a husband to divorce his wife. There was, therefore, no certainty in the matrimonial status of a wife. To be precise, women in those days were not better than the slaves and had no existence of their Own in the society.
When Islam came into being, the females were given due social status and they were regarded as dignified members of the society. Islam prescribed a definite form of marriage namely, Nikah which is not only a matrimonial contract but also a social institution giving dignified independent status to married women.
Nikah literally means “to tie up together”. As against the uncertain relationship of the husband and wife in the pre-Islamic society, Islam introduced a marriage (Nikah) in which the husband and wife are bound together for an indefinite period.
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Nikah or a ‘Muslim-marriage’ ensures stability in the matrimonial relationship. The Prophet declared that in a marriage the husband must pay or promise to pay something to the wife not as her price but as a mark of respect towards her. Islam prohibits limitless polygamy and no Muslim is now allowed to marry with more than four wives at a time.