Debate on Polygamy on Dubai TV

Dubai TV's Lina Sawwan hosted a debate on polygamy in Arab society. Participating in the debate were Muhammad Murrad who married 12 wives; his son and daughter; Dr. Seif Al-Jabari, Director of the Islamic Affairs Department at Dubai's Ministry of Awqaf; and Dr. Moza Ghabash, a professor of social science. The following are excerpts:

Host Lina Sawwan: Who of us women still wants to marry a married man and who of you men still wants more than one wife? The saying goes, ask one with experience rather than a doctor. Therefore, I will begin with someone who has experienced marriage, not once, twice, or four times, but 12 times and he is already planning for wife number 13 this year. With us we have Mr. Muhammad Murrad and some of his family members. Welcome Mr. Muhammad.

What's your explanation? Why do all these women marry you? Surely they know that you will divorce one of them and get another one instead of her after a short period of time. Why do women agree to marry men who like to get married?

Muhammad Murrad: I, for example, had four wives. When one dies, I marry another. When one grows old, I divorce her and marry another.

Host, Lina Sawwan: Hanifa, What do you think of this large, extended family, with a father who marries many wives. You are the daughter of wife number?

Murrad's daughter Hanifa: Number 2.

Host Lina Sawwan: Ok, how do you children feel when you see Father marry many times?

Murrad's daughter Hanifa: To me, it is a normal thing. If Father is satisfied, praise Allah, we are all satisfied. We are all the same at home. We don't say This is my brother of my father's wife." No, the important thing is that our father is same. Honestly, I am glad of it. If father treats my brothers, sisters and mother justly, there's no problem.

Host Lina Sawwan: Muhammad I would like to ask you, do you believe in polygamy and are you yourself planning to marry more than one woman?

Muhammad Murrad's son, Farouq.: By Allah, I'm with Father. And If I want? I will try to be like Father. It is true that it is impossible because in the old days, everything was natural. In our days everything is modern. We have a refrigerator, enjoy air conditioning. But in their time, it was not so; everything was natural. I'll try, Allah willing.

Host Lina Sawwan: You mean, you will try to marry more than one wife? Your plan for the future is that since you have a refrigerator you can bring many women home?

Farouq Murrad: Just like Father, Allah willing.

Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: Polygamy is not a crisis, but something that stems from human nature. I will mention some examples of the importance of polygamy to the lives of all societies. [It was so in] all legislation, Islamic and those proceeding it that serve as laws to us, if they are compatible with Islam. Because Islam has always been singled out because of its polygamy. The reality is different. All religions, the entire human race, were accustomed to this method, but Islamic Law came and institutionalized this anarchy. There was much polygamy that reached...

Host Lina Sawwan: Hundreds of wives.

Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: But Islam came and set restrictions. I would like to mention a very important formula. It is well known that there are a lot of women in all societies. It reaches four times as many women than men?

Host Lina Sawwan: Because you men wage many wars, maybe if you stopped ? Dr. Moza, help me here?

Dr. Seif Al-Jabari:There is a social and demographic imbalance in the population imbalance in all of all humanity, within the Islamic world and outside of it. We have a problem. We suffer from it. It needs a solution. Everybody wants to get married. Europe is crying for polygamy, so where's the problem?

Host Lina Sawwan: Surely, not all Europe...

Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: I have studies showing that if you ask any [European] woman today, she would tell you, "I am physically and emotionally isolated from my husband, but I cannot divorce him." Their marriage is eternal. But they each have a lover.

The husband marries a number of wives for various needs. First of all, the Koran says, "Then marry other women as may be agreeable to you." Gynecology? It is well known? A wife can contract a disease, menstruate, give birth, be pregnant; women have many different conditions. Where will the man go? Men are different than women. A man is in dire need of a wife. Otherwise he will turn to the forbidden, which is a bigger problem. So where's the problem? Am I to endanger society and defy Allah, by going to prostitutes, drinking alcohol - I apologize - and go to other things, or should I marry permitted women and solve my problem and the problem of a fellow human being in a lawful way? Every woman wants to have children and live.

There are Islamic laws, but if [the first wife] is not pleased with the second marriage she can file for a divorce, it is natural.

Dr. Moza Ghabash:Excuse me, he supports divorce so he can get married. He supports divorce only so the man can marry again. Excuse me Dr. Seif, knowledge of religion is one thing but hiding behind religion and interpreting all our mistakes in the name of religion is a social crime.