The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 44
38 should feel the need of more than one. The limit of four is imposed lest you should be inclined towards marrying a larger number amounting to hundreds according to your old custom and so that you should not incline towards illicit indulgence. Hand over to your wives their dowers freely. This is the first reform of the Holy Quran whereby man is raised from his natural state and barbaric ways to the status of a civilized social being. In these teachings there is no mention of the higher moral qualities. They are concerned only with elementary human behaviour. This teaching was needed because the people for whose reform the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was sent, were in an extreme state of barbarity and it was necessary that they should be taught the elementary rules of social behaviour. Why is the Flesh of Swine Prohibited One matter to be kept in mind in this context is that in the very name of this animal, God has indicated the reason for the prohibition of its flesh. The Arabic word for swine is Khinzir which is a compound of Khang and Ara, which means: I see it very foul. Khang means 'very foul', and Ara means (I) see it'. Thus the very name that God Almighty gave to this animal at the beginning points to its uncleanness. It is a curious coincidence that