The verse
وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُواْ فِي ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُواْAnd if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess [i.e., slaves]. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
The verse came in the context of caring for orphans and widows after battles. It restricted polygyny with justice among wives, warned against wrongdoing, and said that one wife is closer to avoiding injustice. Scholars require the ability to maintain and be just, and a woman may stipulate in her marriage contract that her husband not take another wife.
In reality
The overwhelming majority of Muslims have one wife, and in some countries a judge’s permission or the first wife’s consent is required. Islam neither obliges nor recommends polygyny; it regulates a practice that was unlimited.
Frequently asked questions
Must a Muslim man marry more than one wife?
No. It is neither obligatory nor recommended; it is permitted with conditions.
Quran text and translations: QuranEnc. Hadith translations: HadeethEnc. Sources are shown on each item. Found a mistake? Tell us.