Cairo: Egyptian pro-women groups are disappointed that several TV serials being shown on local and Arab TV feature polygamy as a recurrent theme.
"I have been working in the field of women's welfare for more than 20 years and I have never seen so many polygamists in Egypt as portrayed in TV dramas," said Eman Beibers, the chairperson of the Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women.
At least seven television serials with polygamists are on the air waves every night of Ramadan - when viewing rates in the Arab world peak.
"These shows by no means reflect real life in Egypt where many young people cannot afford the spiralling cost of marriage," Beibers told Gulf News.
A similar furore erupted six years ago when Egyptian feminists reacted with anger to a widely popular television serial called Hajj Metwali which they accused of glorifying polygamy.
In the drama, the protagonist, played by celebrated movie actor Nour Al Sherif, keeps four wives at the same time - the maximum allowed in Islam.
"Soap operas, movies and other forms of entertainment should serve to promote the status of women rater than erode the gains women have made over the past decades," said Beibers.
Egyptian women have walked into almost all careers, which were once a male preserve, she said. Earlier this year, Egypt appointed 31 female judges for the first time in the nation's history.
One of the criticised "polygamy" serials is Al Masrawia (The Egyptians) in which the main character, a village mayor, marries three times.
"My serial tackles a certain era in Egypt's history when polygamy was common and affordable," said Osama Anwar Okasha, the writer of Al Masrawia.
Other issues
"So it is natural to feature it in the drama," he said in recent press remarks.
For Sawsan Othman, who heads the Family Support Association in Cairo, there are many other issues more important than polygamy, which should be addressed in TV dramas.
"For example, young people are unable to marry due to economic woes," she told Gulf News.
"Divorce is another vexing problem, especially if we know that a divorce case takes place in Egypt every six minutes," she added.
Delayed marriage and rising divorce rates, according to Othman, who is a sociologist, are to blame for many social problems such as rape, homeless children and crime.
"Tackling them in the media is more crucial than polygamy."
Days before the start of Ramadan, the Saudi satellite television station MBC banned the scheduled broadcast of its production Lel Khatia Thaman (The Price of Sins) after Kuwaiti Muslim clerics warned the serial would stir up communal sectarianism by casting Shiites, a Muslim sect, in an unfavourable light and tackling temporary marriage (muta) in a controversial way.
posted
Same thing every year! Selling lots of advertising through subjects that are still considered 'scandalous' and not only by Feminists, seem to pay.
By the way, Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, and certainly not a 'right' but merely 'permitted' as an 'option'.
The religious permission of polygamy was associated with compassion toward widows and orphans.
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quote:Originally posted by Almaz.: By the way, Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, and certainly not a 'right' but merely 'permitted' as an 'option'.
Can you elaborate on how something can be 'permitted as an option' but not a right?
Posts: 374 | From: men gheir laff w dawaran | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
A right is an OBLIGATION. If it was an obligation that every Muslim man should marry more than one wife, then every Muslim would have the RIGHT to marry 4 wives no questions asked, the present wife would be 'obliged' to accept it as a de facto, and a marriage contract would not exclude that right/obligation which in reality is an 'option', if the wife would not wish it. An option is a choice - a solution to circumstances - a right without OBLIGATION.
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quote:Originally posted by Almaz.: A right is an OBLIGATION. If it was an obligation that every Muslim man should marry more than one wife, then every Muslim would have the RIGHT to marry 4 wives no questions asked, the present wife would be 'obliged' to accept it as a de facto, and a marriage contract would not exclude that right/obligation which in reality is an 'option', if the wife would not wish it. An option is a choice - a solution to circumstances - a right without OBLIGATION.
You are mistaken. A right is not an “OBLIGATION”. And to prove my point here is simple example: A man has the right to take a second wife but he is not obligated.
Allow me to expound:
A right is basically a legal entitlement afforded to a person; a person may freely exercise or refrain from such entitlement but he/she is most certainly not obligated to do either.
Posts: 2079 | From: 'by any means necessary' - Malcom X | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
In this case it is a legal right with a number of "buts" and "subjects to". Maybe it would be better to call it an a permissable exception, because Qu`ran tells them to deal justly with them, and it the same chapter it says that this a man never will be able to be fair and just as between women.
BTW, If you Google on "the right to marry more then one wife"!!!! You get a lot of preconceptions and misunderstandings in Western society, to justify polygamy and to condemn Western civilisation.... Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
The Holy Quran indeed states that one is able to marry 2,3,4 wives and it indeed states to treat them well(4:3). You treat a wife good after marriage, am I right, because technically in Islam cohabitation exists after marriage. The Holy Quran further states if you are unable to treat them fairly to simply marry one (4:3). The Holy Quran then states that a man won’t be able to deal equally between wives but it also states to not turn away from ONE of them leaving her unsettled/suspenseful/hanging (4:129).
So the ‘buts’ and ‘subject to’ are subjective and irrelevant because no one knows how someone is going to treat a 2nd, 3rd or 4th wife. The Quran permits polygamy and greatly warns of the injustices that might arise with marrying more than one woman.
Ahadith state a man who was unfair to one of his wives will be resurrected on the day of resurrection with one side of him paralyzed, signifying his injustice and I don’t think a man would want to face his fate in such a predicament.
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Which side will be paralyzed, upper or lower front???? I`v heard sometimes this happens even by life! Must be a triple bad man....and thats why they sell all that viagra... Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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'Rights serve as rules of interaction between people, and, as such, they place constraints and obligations upon the actions of individuals or groups (for example, if one has a right to life, this means that others do not have the liberty to kill him)'.
The way I understand POLIGAMY in Islam, as well as many scholars, if a Muslim man had the RIGHT to marry more than 1, and not only the option/choice in case of extreme circumstances, then others do not have the liberty to stop him.
In the latter case, it would not be possible to have a stipulation in the marriage contract saying 'he shall not take a second wife while married to so and so.' As well, every Muslim man on earth would go after their 'rights' and marry more than one wife, regardless of any circumstances and without following the conditions regarding poligamy stated in the Qur'an.
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by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D. President Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. 7102 W. Shefford Lane Louisville, KY 40242-6462, U.S.A. E-mail: IRFI@INAME.COM
Polygamy (ta'adud-e-izdiwaj) 1
For either spouse the word used in Arabic is zawj, which means both husband or wife. Thus the very word zawj implies one husband and one wife. For marrying the word in Arabic is zawwaja or tazawwaja ( I married) and this means he married one woman ( or zawwajat, ie., she married a man). Zawwaja cannot mean the on one side there would be one man and on the other four or five women.
"O people, keep your duty to your Lord, who created you from a single soul and created its (zawjaha) of the same (kind), and spread from these two many men and women."….. The Qur'an 4: 1
In this Qur'anic verse Allah has created a couple (zawj, i.e., man and woman) and then created men and women from this couple. Thus in the beginning there was one male and one female and not many females for one male, though at that time there was greater need for this to increase the human population rapidly (it is not correct to say that polygamy leads to rapid increase in human population). This Qur'anic verse usually is recited while solemnizing the marriage (khutbah-e-nikah) but our 'ulama do not reflect deeply the implications of this verse. Obviously this verse clearly implies one female for one male and not many females for one male.
Let us refer to another verse of the Qur'an (2: 35) which says, "And We said: O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish, and approach not this tree, lest you be of the unjust."
Adam was the first person sent on earth and Allah had created only one wife for him and not several wives. Wherever Adam's story has been referred to in the Glorious Book, it refers to Adam and Hawwa' (Eve). For example, in verse 20: 117 it is said, "We said: O Adam, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife; so let him not drive you both out of the garden so that thou art unhappy." This verse also clearly refers to only one wife of Adam.
Let us refer to the verses 75: 36-39: "Does man think that he will be left aimless? Was he not a small life germ in sperm emitted? Then he was a clot; so He created (him), then made (him) perfect. Then He made of him two kinds, the male and the female." This verse also refers to men and women being made into zawjain, i.e., couples which clearly means one woman for one man. Thus God creates couples right from day one. Allah does not create ten women for one man. It is man, one can argue, who changes this equation.
But if it happens (i.e., more women for one man) it is due to some social crisis. The Noble Qur'an, one can argue, has shown us the solution. But during the normal period Allah creates only one woman for one man and man has to remain content with one woman only. But if someone marries a woman and be comes to dislike her, the Qur'an does not suggest that you then marry another one as four wives have been permitted. On the other hand the Qur'an says:
" O you who believe, it is not lawful for you to take women as heritage against (their) will. Nor should you straighten them by making them part of what you have given them, unless they are guilty of manifest indecency. And treat them kindly. Then if you hate them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah has placed abundant good in it. And if you wish to have (one) wife in the place of another and you have given one of them a heap of gold, take nothing from it. Would you take it by slandering (her) and (doing her) manifest wrong? And how can you take it when you have gone in unto each other, and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?"
The Qur'an requires that if you dislike your wife you better reconcile yourself to it because you may dislike something and Allah may have hidden something better for you in that. So it is better that you change your dislike into love. This may be good for you. No one is virtue personified nor anyone is evil personified. The wife you dislike may have certain virtues. But if you cannot overcome your dislike and you decide to divorce and marry another one (here the Qur'an does not suggest taking another wife along with the first but divorcing one and taking another one) you cannot take back from her what you had given her by way of mahr or gift, even if it be a heap of Gold. Thus the Qur'an puts pressure on the husband to think twice before divorcing one wife to take another in her place. The Qur'an persuades man to stick to the first wife and not to divorce her. Thus the Qur'an does not approve of polygamy even in such circumstances. It permits it only in highly exceptional circumstances or only in a crisis situation.
One should focus the verses on polygamy, i.e., verses 4: 2-3, to show that polygamy has been permitted only in highly exceptional circumstances, i.e., when a large number of women have been rendered yatim (orphans) due to devastating wars (which was not at all unusual at that time in Arabia. The Noble Prophet himself had to fight many such wars in which a large number of men were killed). The word yatim used in the above verse means not only orphans but also widows according to the classical Arabic usage. Even Imam Abu Bakr Jassas agrees to this meaning of the word yatim. Thus it is quite natural that in war time a large number of girls and women became orphans or widows and many of them possessed valuable properties. Their wards would either eat away this property or would exchange a bad one of their own with the good one of these orphans and widows. Thus in order to protect the properties of these women and to find shelter for them the Qur'an permitted marrying up to four wives. One can quote extensively from the Hanafi Imam Abu Bakr Jassas to support the above arguments.
The Meaning of verse 4: 3 is that you should marry these orphans or widows only, not other women. The words min al-nisa' and not min nisa'in clearly indicate that the Qur'an means those very women rendered orphans and widows in wars. Many commentators of the Qur'an maintain that a man can marry any other woman up to four whom he likes and quote a hadith to this effect from A'isha, the Prophet's wife.
Whatever is conditional would remain valid only if the condition is fulfilled. The number of marriages up to four has been permitted only on the condition that there are large number of orphan girls and widows who are not being taken care of or injustices are taking place with them or no one is there to look after them. Only if these conditions persist, up to four marriages will be permitted to Muslim men. But if such a condition does not prevail in the society, the permission to marry more than one wife will not be valid. This injunction in the Qur'an is not general but conditional. The verse pertaining to polygamy begins with wa in khiftum alla tuqsitu fi' al-yatama (if you fear you cannot do justice to orphans and widows) and hence this is the main condition. Thus it is obvious that one can take more than one wife only from among orphans and widows with whom one cannot do justice otherwise.
If the verse on polygamy permits more than one wife only in crisis situations why was it not understood in this perspective in the early Islamic period and why does this practice ( of polygamy) continue among the Muslims unabated? In the early Islamic period, as well as until the end of the Abbasid rule, the period was full of wars. During the Noble Prophet's time a number of battles had to be fought. Then during early period of Khilafat-e-Rashidah a number of wars were fought and then began the period of civil war among the Muslims. It was followed by the Umayyad period which was also full of conflict and turmoil. The Umayyads were subsequently overthrown and the Abbasid rule began. The wars continued. Sometimes with Daylams, sometimes with Saljuqs and sometimes Tartars. Ultimately the Tartars reduced the Abbasids to dust. This in these wars a large numbers of Muslim men continued to be killed and more and more orphan girls and widows came into existence. "Thus Muslim men continued to marry more than one wife and polygamy remained in practice. Because of its persistence for so long it became a strongly entrenched tradition and then followed the period of taqlid (blind imitation) and hence it persists in our times as well
quote:
though Qur'anically speaking, it has no validity whatsoever today.
Polygamy 2
Polygamy was a way of life until the Quran was revealed 1400 years ago. When the earth was young and under-populated, polygamy was one way of populating it and bringing in the human beings needed to carry out God's plan. By the time the Quran was revealed, the world had been sufficiently populated, and the Quran put down the first limitations against polygamy.
Polygamy is permitted in the Quran, but under strictly observed circumstances. Any abuse of this divine permission incurs severe retribution. Thus, although polygamy is permitted by God, it behooves us to examine our circumstances carefully before saying that a particular polygamous relationship is permissible.
Our perfect example here is the prophet Muhammad. He was married to one wife, Khadijah, until she died. He had all his children, except one, from Khadijah. Thus, she and her children enjoyed the Prophet's full attention for as long as she was married to him; twenty-five years. For all practical purposes, Muhammad had one wife - from the age of 25 to 50. During the remaining 13 years of his life, he married the aged widows of his friends who left many children. The children needed a complete home, with a fatherly figure, and the Prophet provided that. Providing a fatherly figure for orphans is the only specific circumstance in support of polygamy mentioned in the Quran (4:3).
Other than marrying widowed mothers of orphans, there were three political marriages in the Prophet's life. His close friends Abu Bakr and Omar insisted that he marry their daughters, Aisha and Hafsah, to establish traditional family ties among them. The third marriage was to Maria the Egyptian; she was given to him as a political gesture of friendship from the ruler of Egypt.
This perfect example tells us that a man must give his full attention and loyalty in marriage to his wife and children in order to raise a happy and wholesome family.
The Quran emphasizes the limitations against polygamy in very strong words:
"If you fear lest you may not be perfectly equitable in
treating more than one wife, then you shall be content with one."
(4:3) "You cannot be equitable in a polygamous relationship, no matter how hard you try." (4:129)
The Quranic limitations against polygamy point out the possibility of abusing God's law. Therefore, unless we are absolutely sure that God's law will not be abused, we had better resist our lust and stay away from polygamy. If the circumstances do not dictate polygamy, we had better give our full attention to one wife and one set of children. The children's psychological and social well-being, especially in countries where polygamy is prohibited, almost invariably dictate monogamy. A few basic criteria must be observed in contemplating polygamy:
1. It must alleviate pain and suffering and not cause any pain or suffering.
2. If you have a young family, it is almost certain that polygamy is an abuse.
3. Polygamy to substitute a younger wife is an abuse of God's law (4:19).
Polygamy 3
The PUM (Persatuan Ulama Malaysia), it appears, is also piqued by a couple of writers and an NGO that have criticized groups, which offer unconditional support for polygamy. Here again, it is an indisputable truth that the Quranic position differs radically from the stance associated with an important section of mainstream ulama. The Quran, there is no doubt, permits polygamy only in the most extraordinary circumstance, as a way of delivering justice to orphans. Neither the financial status of the male nor his sexual needs nor the inability of the wife to bear a child is, from a Quranic point of view, a justification for practicing polygamy. Indeed, “monogamy is the preferred marital arrangement of the Quran” as many commentators have asserted from time to time in the course of the last few centuries. Amina Waded provides some insights into this and other related concerns in her Quran and Woman (Petaling Jaya: Fajar Bakti 1992). It is perfectly legitimate therefore for Muslims who are committed to Quranic principles to question those who have elevated polygamy to a sacrosanct law on par with the fundamental teachings of the religion.
As with apostasy, the conservative ulama may not be fully cognizant of the adverse consequences of their utterances on polygamy upon Islam, women and society. They create the impression that Islam is a religion that sanctions patriarchal power and dominance. Women are not only marginalized; whatever little rights they possess are given on sufferance. In the thinking of pro-polygamy ulama, gender equality, which is one of the major trends that transformed traditional society in the last hundred years, is nothing more than a mirage.
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quote:Originally posted by Almaz.: 'Rights serve as rules of interaction between people, and, as such, they place constraints and obligations upon the actions of individuals or groups (for example, if one has a right to life, this means that others do not have the liberty to kill him)'.
The way I understand POLIGAMY in Islam, as well as many scholars, if a Muslim man had the RIGHT to marry more than 1, and not only the option/choice in case of extreme circumstances, then others do not have the liberty to stop him.
In the latter case, it would not be possible to have a stipulation in the marriage contract saying 'he shall not take a second wife while married to so and so.' As well, every Muslim man on earth would go after their 'rights' and marry more than one wife, regardless of any circumstances and without following the conditions regarding poligamy stated in the Qur'an.
Hi, Almaz
I think there is no disagreement in substance here. The disagreement is about the meaning of certain words. You are familiar with "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you." You can see here that although remaining silent is a right, one can voluntarily give it up, pretty much like a Moslem can give up his right to polygamy by entering a marriage contract that disallows polygamy.
Take care.
Posts: 374 | From: men gheir laff w dawaran | Registered: Sep 2007
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According to the five categories of Islam do's and don'ts: fard (obligatory), mustahab (encouraged), mubah (permitted), makruh (discouraged, and haram (prohibited or forbidden), Polygamy is not 'obligatory' (fard) for Muslim men, but rather 'permitted' (mubah) in extreme circumstances only.
When discussed with several scholars the conclusion was that, if God wanted it to be an obligation, which I translated to 'right' it would have been a FARD to marry more than one, whereas in reality, 'mubah' meant the permission to do so, and only if....
Hope you are having a Ramadan Mubarak.
Posts: 919 | Registered: Aug 2007
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According to the five categories of Islam do's and don'ts: fard (obligatory), mustahab (encouraged), mubah (permitted), makruh (discouraged, and haram (prohibited or forbidden), Polygamy is not 'obligatory' (fard) for Muslim men, but rather 'permitted' (mubah) in extreme circumstances only.
When discussed with several scholars the conclusion was that, if God wanted it to be an obligation, which I translated to 'right' it would have been a FARD to marry more than one, whereas in reality, 'mubah' meant the permission to do so, and only if....
Hope you are having a Ramadan Mubarak.
Ramadan mubarak to you, too. Posts: 374 | From: men gheir laff w dawaran | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
Whatever might have been written in holy books, it is written in another time, with other norms and values. I have heard stories about how the women felt when their husband decided to take their right to marry a second, third or fourth wife. I have heard about the negative feelings and I`ve heard about acceptance. We must not forget that all these marriages were not marriages as we consider them to be in a Western kind of view, so there can be acceptance, it depends on what kind of marriage it was. But, as soon as negative feelings come in front, I think, the husband is acting selfish. I dare to state that most men only would take another wife when he is not satisfied in his relationship. But, the question is, will he find this in another relationship? Of course not, because like any other relationship all over the world, at a certain moment, there will come something like "feeling bored". The excitement has gone, the passion, the butterflies in the stomach, the beauty dissappears (not only by women:)) and there comes something like a brother and sister relationship. If both are acting passive against this, the relationship will bleed to death. A new wife does not change this, it will bring a temporary positive effect to the husband, but in time he will going to expierence the same with the new wife. And he has left his first wife behind in negative feelings, the second will get the same, etc... It is all inside his head! Polygamy or monogamy will not change this. In polygamy cultures they take another wife, in monogamous cutures they take a maitress, or devorce. So, its important that men and women realise this on time. So, that they can work it out together, instead as leaving it all behind and start a new relationship. Because, in fact it is not different in cultures, only the country laws are different. The feelings are the same...
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
My argument and rationale dismisses individual notions and arbitrary translations. I also dismiss intellectuals’ articles supporting one view based on mere opinion because I could counter with a plethora of material. Material written by esteemed Islamic Jurists claiming otherwise. I choose to debate using facts and facts that are representative in reality. The fact is the Holy Quran permits polygamy and this fact is manifested in the marriage laws of the respective nations I mentioned below. If you study carefully the polygamy requirements - it is obvious that the main obligation in most of these nations’ marriage laws is financial security. This is one of the main reasons why polygamy is statistically a low number. It is simply impossible to sustain a second/third/fourth home. All expenses would literally double/triple/quadruple if a man is financially fair to each wife.
Polygamy Laws in Notable Muslim Nations:
ALGERIA: reason for contracting polygamous marriage must be justified and prior notification of existing wife/wives required; any co-wife may petition for divorce on grounds of harm if her consent was not obtained.
BRUNEI: governed by classical law (Islamic Sharia).
BANGLADESH: introduction of new regulations on polygamy by MFLO 1961; constraints placed on polygamy by requirement of application to the local Union Council for permission and notification of existing wife/wives; penal sanctions for contracting a polygamous marriage without prior permission, though there are no sanctions for failing to obtain existing wife’s permission and subsequent marriage is not invalidated for lack of registration or failure to obtain official permission; the husband�s contracting a polygamous marriage in contravention of legal procedures is sufficient grounds for first wife to obtain decree of dissolution. (translation a man must pay approximately $150 tax for every additional wife).
EGYPT: notification of existing and intended wives required; existing wife can petition for divorce if she sustains such harm as makes cohabitation as husband and wife impossible (up to one year from date of her knowledge of the polygamous marriage).
INDONESIA: basis of marriage is considered monogamy, but Marriage Law does not prohibit polygamy for those religions that allow it (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism); permitted with consent of existing wife or wives and judicial permission, by fulfilling conditions specified by law, i.e., proof of financial capacity, safeguards that husband will treat wives and children equally; and court inquiry into validity of reasons for wishing to contract polygamous marriage (e.g., existing wife�s physical disfigurement, infertility, incurable disease)
INDIA: governed by classical law, however Indian Criminal Procedure Code provides that a woman refusing to live with her husband on just grounds is still entitled to maintenance, and just grounds expressly include the husband’s contracting of a polygamous marriage; in Itwari v. Asghari (AIR 1960 All 684) onus was put on husband to prove that his subsequent marriage did not constitute insult or cruelty to first wife, and court shouldn’t enforce restitution of conjugal rights under such circumstances.
ISRAEL: wife may insert stipulation in marriage contract that husband may not take additional wife and if he does so, she or the co-wife will be divorced.
JORDAN: no constraints aside from classical injunctions that a man must treat all co-wives equitably and provide them with separate dwellings; man must declare his social status in marriage contract.
KUWAIT: governed by classical law; may be subject to stipulations in marriage contract
LEBANON: express recognition of validity of stipulations inserted into marriage contract restricting husband’s right to marry polygamously and effecting divorce of one or the other co-wife
LIBYA: permitted with prior judicial permission based on grounds of financial and physical capacity; written agreement of wife may authorise husband to marry polygamously or authorisation may be given by court for certain reasons
MALAYSIA: allowed with judicial permission; contingent upon application and court hearing with existing wife or wives; court requires proof of necessity (e.g., sterility physical infirmity, wilful avoidance of restitution order, etc.), proof of financial capacity; guarantee of equitable treatment of co-wives; proof that proposed marriage will not lower standard of life of existing wife or wives and dependants; contravention of application and permission requirements punishable by requiring immediate payment of outstanding dower to existing wife or wives and by fine and/or imprisonment
MOROCCO: polygamy not to be permitted in case of fear of unequal treatment; requirement of notification of prospective and existing wives; woman who did not insert stipulation limiting husband�s right to marry polygamously in marriage contract and whose husband does so may seek judicial divorce on grounds of harm
PAKISTAN: constraints placed on polygamy by requirement of application to the local Union Council for permission and notification of existing wife/wives, backed up by penal sanctions for contracting a polygamous marriage without prior permission; husband’s contracting polygamous marriage in contravention of legal procedures is sufficient grounds for first wife to obtain decree of dissolution
PALESTINE: governed by classical law. Both laws specifically permit a woman to stipulate in contract that husband will not take another wife while married to her and to petition for divorce on the basis of this stipulation if he proceeds to break the terms of the stipulation. (Muslim Palestinians in East Jerusalem cannot marry polygamously under the terms of Israeli law).
PHILPINES (Muslims): no Muslim man may take more than one wife "unless he can deal with them with equal companionship and just treatment as enjoined by Islamic law and only in exceptional cases"; determination of exceptional cases not specified.
SINGAPORE (Muslims): permitted, but marriage by a man who is already married must be solemnised by kathi or with kathi’s written permission. Katthi is an Islamic Judge.
SRI LANKA: Governed by Sharia
SUNDAN: Governed by Sharia
SYRIA: judge may refuse permission for polygamous marriage unless husband establishes lawful cause and financial capacity
TUNISIA: Prohibited
TURKEY: Prohibited
YEMEN: Polygamy: permitted subject to equitable treatment of co-wives, financial means, lawful benefit, and notification of prospective co-wives.
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