What is a Concubine?
A concubine is a woman who lives with a man in a situation which is similar to marriage, although without all of the privileges of marriage. The term can refer simply to a woman who lives with a man without being married, although it usually specifically refers to a contracted state which establishes the concubine as a lesser member of a household which may already include other wives. Many cultures have a long history of concubinage and multiple wives, and this practice continues to be used in some parts of the world today. The term comes from the Latin prefix com-, which means “with,” and cubara, “to lie down.” Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans had concubines, and concubinage also appears in the Christian Bible. These lesser wives were also widely found in Asia and the Middle East, and concubinal relationships can still be found in some of these regions, although they may be restricted by law. Generally, only men of high social status have concubines. Additional wives require more w
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for showing keenness on learning the teachings of Islam, and we appreciate the great confidence you have in us. We hope our efforts meet your expectations, yet we apologize for the late reply. With regard to your question, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Canada, and Former Professor at King Saud Univ., Saudi Arabia, answers: This question is only of academic value now. It is most likely that people know about this issue theoretically, because some of the critics of Islam raise this question to attack Islam and its principles. The situation of having concubines is related to several things: First, if the Islamic state exists. Second, if the Islamic state makes offers for other territories to join Islam or enter into treaties with them. Third, if those territories refuse all kinds
Yes and no. A concubine means different things in different cultures. Most of the time, it refers to a live-in servant that is available to the master of the house for sexual gratification. I say ‘master of the house’ because they were reserved for the wealthy or for nobility. In todays terms, it would be much like Hugh Hefner and the Plaboy Mansion. Hugh ‘compensates’ the women that live there. They aren’t legally obligated to sleep with him, but I would assume that none of them would refuse their gracious host.
