The Misrepresented Views of William Muir on Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) Polygyny: A Critical Evaluation

The polygynous marriage of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) has been one of the most controversial issues in Muslim-Christian relations. Muslims and Christian generally believe that Prophet (saw) was monogynous before, during, and after his mission as a prophet. Non-Muslim scholars, especially Christians, have written books and articles on this issue. William Muir’s works are controversial because of his extreme representation of the polygyny of the Prophet (saw) in order to condemn the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (saw). William Muir asserts that the Prophet (saw) was evil and has unbridled desires, which was among the factors that led him to practice polygynous marriage. The aim of this study is to analyse and evaluate Muir’s views on the polygynous life of the Prophet (saw), and to carefully clarify Islamic historical sources concerning same, to prove its authenticity and shed light on reasons behind the Prophet (saw) practicing polygyny. The study employs qualitative approach and analytical method to collect data of relevance. The finding shows that arranging marriages by the Prophet (saw) was not for desirable purposes as Muir asserted, but rather was an effort to provide shelter to individuals experiencing difficulty in settling their lives for particular reasons.