Polygamy and Women’s Rank in Islam

This book is one of the prominent works of Allameh Tabatabaee, in Persian, on women’s problems from the time of Jahiliya (the period of ignorance and paganism in Arabia) up to the advent of Islam.

The author
Allameh Seyyed Muhammad Hossein Tabatabaie, prominent philosopher, born in 1903 in Tabriz –Iran. He studied primary education in his birthplace, then in 1925 travelled to Najaf and completed his education during 10 ####years. He studied jurisprudence (Fiqh) and methodology (Osul) in the presence of celebrated masters: "Naieni" and "Company", and philosophy in the presence of "Seyyed Hossein Badkouie", mathematics in the presence of "Seyyed Abul Qasem Khansari" and ethics in the presence of "Mirza Ali Qazi". In 1935, returned to Tabriz. Allameh Tabatabaie's education was not restricted only to jurisprudence; in addition to studying: morphology and syntax, Arabic literature and jurisprudence & methodology, he also learnt old mathematics from "the principles of Euclid" to "the Almagest of Ptolemy" and philosophy, theology, theosophy too and achieved a high position in these sciences. In 1946, he emigrated to Qom and established the philosophy and metaphysics classes. He also traveled to Tehran successively and communicated with people who were interested in Islamic philosophy and discussed even with those who were against religion; he could make them understand the reality of religion. Therefore Allameh Tabatabaie had a deep influence on Iran and educated and modernist classes in the west. For many years every autumn there was a meeting between Allameh Tabatabaie and "Henry Carbon" (French Islamist, orietalist and philosopher) and also number of scholars attended, they discissed about the vital issues of philosophy and religion. In Qom Hawzeh (religious school), Allameh Tabatabaie revived intellectual sciences and exegesis of the Quran. Gradually teaching basic levels of philosophy such as: the book "Shefa" (written by Avicenna) and "Asfar" (written by mullah Sadra), became common. Hundreds students attended in his philosophy classes; some of them are now great philosophy masters.

Structure of the book:
It has many short chapters with the following subjects:
- Women in time of Jahiliya
- What is the gift of Islam for women?
- Women’s freedom in the west civilization
- The number of the Prophet’s wives
- Why marrying four women is permissible in Islam?
- Women’s rights
- Women in Islam
- The rank of women in Islam, etc