By Law, a Muslim man will not marry more than one Woman

Hoda Rashwan of Al Masry Al Youm newspaper wrote: (Arabic version)

"The National Democratic Party (NDP) began intensive internal discussions of the personal status law, while women's rights organizations called for restricting polygamy, canceling divorce in absentia and granting custom-married women equal rights as regular wives.

NDP Women's Secretariat President Dr. Hoda Rashad told al-Masry al-Youm that the draft law would be presented for public discussion and that comments by women's associations would be considered. She said the draft covers all marriage stages, including betrothal, divorce and the rights of each party."

 Why am I not laughing when the new personal status law is about to define the boundaries of marriage starting from engagement – yes they will dictate the appropriate decorum in this phase – to marriage pillars, rules, dowry, divorce, polygamy, and alimony.

Let me tell you why … because I can easily see where this is going

 Ok …

Here is the MB's arguments … I can already hear their husky voices reciting verses from Qura'an and quoting Prophet Mohammed. I can see them hopping between the words as they skip the lines that do not suit their notions saying:

1) Sharee3a and Islam gave the man the right to get married to more than one woman .. 2, 3, 4 and the concubines. God created men with an insatiable need for mating.

2) Islam gave the man the right to divorce his wife in her presence or in her absence. He is the man after all.

3) If a woman agrees to a 3orfi marriage, then she has to bear the consequences … no way in Islam shall she be on equal footage with the decent legal wife. We do not want to call for being promiscuous.

4) We do not want to hear again of raising the age of marriage to 18 … we are done arguing that and we said it is against Islam. At the age of 18 a woman is ripe to be plucked .. yummy.

5) We live in an Islamic country and we will abide by the laws of God and the Sunnah even if it means that this time we will drag our four wives to attest to how happy they are.

Let me now poke holes into this argument so they cannot use it based on the fact that Islam is a religion of mercy and love; respect and integrity – and God is Fair !

1) Sharee3a and Islam gave the man the right to get married to more than one woman .. 2, 3, 4 and the concubines – This is not a man this is an animal … a horny bloodthirsty animal. A man in Islam is responsible for his wife, her needs, his home, and his kids – emotionally, mentally and financially. In our current days, a man can barely fulfill this role with one wife. Islam has asked us to rise above our basic needs (sex in this case) and respect our minds as God's favorite creatures.

2) Islam gave the man the right to divorce his wife in her presence or in her absence. That's not very true … Islam said that divorce is the best of the worst of evils … meaning that a couple has to try to make a marriage work until it cannot really work … this is again out of respect for the family concept. Thus, divorce in absentia is demeaning and cowardly … only a non-confrontational coward will hit and run not a good pious Muslim!

3) If a woman agrees to a 3orfi marriage, then she has to bear the consequences … no way in Islam shall she be on equal footage with the decent legal wife. Again you are wrong my MB friend … in the case of a 3orfi marriage, it is always the woman who bears the nasty stigma … where is her partner? where is the man? If this marriage results in kids … he has to own them. Moreover, who appointed you God on Earth?

4) We do not want to hear again of raising the age of marriage to 18 … we are done arguing that and we said it is against Islam. Islam is all about decency … a woman who is 18 is a kid … this is called pedophilia my dear friend … grow up and use the head on top of your shoulders before you ask for such a sick sexist demand.

5) We live in an Islamic country and we will abide by the laws of God and the Sunnah even if it means that this time we will drag our four wives to attest to how happy they are. I am still trying to come to terms with the idea of the three little girls holding signs saying that they are happily mutilated!!

We lost a battle when the laws for incriminating FGM (parents and doctors), raising the age of marriage, reporting child abuse, and naming a father-less child after his mother were voted against …. all in the name of Islam and traditions.

Why do I feel that we will lose this one too? Is it because no one really cares? Is it because it is just a farce?