Q. Is it true that God says that we can marry up to four wives provided that we maintain fairness in treating them, but since we are human, it is impossible for us to do so?
Emran Khan
A. Some people try to paint this picture as you have described, for one of two reasons: Either to say that marrying more than one wife is not allowed in Islam, or to suggest that there is contradiction in the Qur’an. Both are incorrect. The relevant Verses read as follows: “If you fear that you may not deal fairly by the orphans, you may marry of other women as may be agreeable to you, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be able to maintain fairness between them, then marry only one.” (4: 3)
“In no way can you maintain equity between your wives, even though you may be keen to do so. Do not, then, be totally partial toward one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her, as it were, in a state of suspense. If you put things to rights and are God-fearing, God is indeed much-forgiving, ever merciful.” (4: 129)
When you examine the two Verses carefully, you find that the first one gives permission to marry up to four wives, but makes fair treatment a condition of such marriages. The second Verse speaks of love, as it is clear from the statement, “Do not be totally partial toward one...” It is well-known that in matters of feelings and love, we have little control. Therefore, God does not hold us accountable for loving one wife more than the others, provided that such love does not lead to unfairness in treatment.
As for your other questions, I may say that there is no truth whatsoever in the story of an American astronaut having heard the call to prayer as he landed on the moon. He denied it himself. It simply does not fit. There are no humans living on the moon. There may be other creatures, having a totally different form of life, but then they would not be using human language in calling to prayers.
Again there is no truth in the story about the scientists who put monitoring equipment in a grave and were then prevented from having any knowledge of what happens to bodies after burial. We better discard such stories as they are of no benefit to anyone. I am not clear what you mean by your other question. Of course Islamic books would not speak of things that were not in existence at the time when the authors lived. Islam deals with every new situation as and when it develops.