sp ouses ". ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁scientific ▁studies , ▁the ▁human ▁m ating ▁system ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁primarily ▁mon og am ous , ▁with ▁cultural ▁practice ▁of ▁pol yg amy ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁minor ity , ▁based ▁on ▁both ▁surve ys ▁of ▁world ▁populations , ▁and ▁on ▁characteristics ▁of ▁human ▁re product ive ▁phys i ology . ▁ ▁Form s ▁Pol yg amy ▁exists ▁in ▁three ▁specific ▁forms : ▁ ▁Pol yg yn y , ▁where in ▁a ▁man ▁has ▁multiple ▁simultane ous ▁w ives ▁ ▁Poly and ry , ▁where in ▁a ▁woman ▁has ▁multiple ▁simultane ous ▁hus b ands ▁ ▁Group ▁marriage , ▁where in ▁the ▁family ▁unit ▁consists ▁of ▁multiple ▁hus b ands ▁and ▁multiple ▁w ives ▁of ▁legal ▁age ▁ ▁Pol yg yn y ▁ ▁Inc idence ▁ ▁Pol yg yn y , ▁the ▁practice ▁where in ▁a ▁man ▁has ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁wife ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁is ▁by ▁far ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁form ▁of ▁pol yg amy . ▁Many ▁Muslim - major ity ▁countries ▁and ▁some ▁countries ▁with ▁s izable ▁Muslim ▁minor ities ▁ ▁accept ▁pol yg yn y ▁to ▁varying ▁ext ents ▁both ▁leg ally ▁and ▁cult ur ally ; ▁some ▁sec ular ▁countries ▁like ▁India ▁also ▁accept ▁it ▁to ▁varying ▁degrees . ▁Islam ic ▁law ▁ ▁or ▁sh aria ▁law ▁is ▁a ▁religious ▁law ▁forming ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁tradition ▁which ▁allows ▁pol yg yn y . ▁It ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁religious ▁pre cept s ▁of ▁Islam , ▁particularly ▁the