Saudi imam encourages polygamy as 'women expire, unlike men'

Saudi imam encourages polygamy as 'women expire, unlike men'
Twitters users were outraged after a Saudi man claiming to be an imam suggested women "expired" as a reason for encouraging polygamous marriages.
4 min read
31 Aug, 2017
The Saudi imam's tweet added fuel to an already fiery debate [File photo: Getty]
Polygamy is a long drawn-out debate in the Arab and Muslim world. While Islam allows men to marry four women under a list of pre-requisites, the practice of this religious licence is often abused and misinterpreted.

Islam allows men to marry up to four women, only if they can do justice to all of their wives. Some Muslim women reject the idea of their husband marrying more than one and treat it as an injustice in itself, whereas others have embraced and even encouraged their own husbands to marry a second woman.

However, men across the world have undoubtedly used the religious decree to marry as many women as they wish, irresponsibly treating it as some sort of a duty to marry more than one woman, trapping his wife into an abusive polygamous marriage.

Recently, a Twitter hashtag emerged which translates to "marry a second wife if you can", which restarted the debate on social media. Unsurprisingly, it was met with anger. 

But one tweet in particular, however, caused just as much of a stir as the entire hashtag. A Saudi man, Majid al-Fahad, claiming to be a sheikh, said he was considering of divorcing his wife and marrying another because "a woman 'expires', unlike a man". 

Translation: Thank God I have completed my faith [Islamic expression for marriage] with the fourth wife 20 years ago. I am thinking of renewing one though. Women expire unlike men

Twitter went into meltdown.

Translation: You have made a mockery of our religion and have reduced it to nothing but sex

Translation: This objectification of women is an insult and is a product of living in a patriarchal society. Backwardness.

Fahad was called a beast and accused of succumbing to "animalistic instincts".

Translation: You are a beast and clearly want to satisfy your animalistic instincts

He was also called out for leaving out some very important details regarding the laws surrounding polygamy in Islam.

"You are following your own religion, not the religion of Prophet Mohammed", said one comment.

Translation: You thank your wife by divorcing her after she has had the patience to live with you? You're following your own religion - not the religion of the Prophet Mohammed

Translation: I am very upset for your wives right now

Some even thought the account was fake... as though objectifying women is some sort of a rare phenomenon.

Translation: This account is fake and you are all falling for his trolling