@ tara
Anyway, next time you visit an Islamic site raving about the benifits of polygamy, throw them this Hadith and watch the ensuing mayhem (assuming they wouldn't delete your post).
Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 157:
Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama:
I heard Allah's Apostle who was on the pulpit, saying, "Banu Hisham bin Al-Mughira have requested me to allow them to marry their daughter to Ali bin Abu Talib, but I don't give permission, and will not give permission unless 'Ali bin Abi Talib divorces my daughter in order to marry their daughter, because Fatima is a part of my body, and I hate what she hates to see, and what hurts her, hurts me."
Muslim: Book 031, Number 6002:
'Ali b. Husain reported that Miswar b. Makhramah informed him that 'Ali b. Abi Talib sent the proposal of marriage to the daughter of Abu Jahl as he had Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), (as his wife). When Fatima heard about it, she came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: The people say that you never feel angry on account of your daughters and now 'Ali is going to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl. Makhramah said: Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) rose up and I heard him reciting Tashahhud and say: Now to the point. I gave a daughter of mine (Zainab) to Abu'l-'As b. Rabi, and he spoke to me and spoke the truth. Verily Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, is a part of me and I do not approve that she may be put to any trial and by Allah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger cannot be combined with the daughter of God's enemy (as the co-wives) of one person. Thereupon 'Ali gave up (the idea of his intended) marriage. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.
[I recommend you show them the first one ONLY... no need to give them a reason to change the subject and make it about Abu Jahl, etc.. the first one is more than enough]
@ billy
You are deluded as to the coercive and oppressive social systems in Islamic societies that women face in regards to polygamy. There is no moral equivalence between the two examples at all.
Ok, so apparently, you're saying women are forced into polygamy as they are forced into marriage by their parents, in general, and Islam sanctions this? (forced marriage?).