Second Wives And Husbands

Second Wives and Husbands: and by this I do not mean second marriages. “Polyandry” is the custom among certain people e.g. in Tibet, Zanzibar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and some regions of China, where a wife is shared between several husbands. On the other hand, “Polygamy” is the practice of having more than one wife at the same time. Polygyny is practiced in the east, amongst Islamic communities, (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Brunei, Syria, Jordan, Saudi-Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, etc.) and amongst Mormon communities in the USA. Usually polygyny is not practiced in the western world, first and foremost bigamy is against western law.

Second Wives and Husbands: Famous Polygamists

Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, King David and King Solomon are amongst the most famous polygamists in the world. Under Islamic law, men are allowed up to four wives. The taking of a second wife does not require the permission of the first wife. However, with the promotion of equal rights for women polygyny is being challenged, particularly in the US amongst the “Members of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus of Latter day Saints”.

Second Wives and Husbands: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei

The Sultan of Brunei has two wives. His first Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajjah Saleha and his second Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim, whom he married on the 20 August 2005. (He divorced his former second wife, ex stewardess, Mariam Abdul Aziz in February 2003, due to her infidelity.)

Azrinaz was a Malaysian television journalist. At 26 she is 33 years younger than the Sultan. Azrinaz began working life with TV3 in 1997. She won the channel’s most promising journalist award in 2000. Her wedding to the Sultan was a very modest affair in comparison to other significant parties in the Sultanate. Family members, relatives and only close friends of the Sultan and his bride attended the wedding.

Second Wives And Husbands: Just A Matter Of Changing Faith?

If someone in the Western World in inclined to like the idea of a second wife or husband then it is not just a matter of changing faith. As I have already mentioned polygyny and polyandry is being challenged both legally and morally. The practice has naturally died out in Japan, is dying out in China, and not generally practiced by followers of Islam.

Second Wives And Husbands: Share Your Experiences

If there is anyone who is a second wife or husband and would like to share their experiences, particularly why they agreed to become number two, then email me. I will add your comments to this site. I would be particularly interested to learn how the issues of jealousy of the first husband or wife are dealt with.