Russia allows Muslim men to practice polygamy

According to the fatwa, a man's right to have multiple wives depends on the following conditions:

Fair treatment: All wives should be financially supported equally.

Separate housing: Each wife should have a separate living space.

Equal time allocation: The husband should follow a pre-agreed rule of equality in spending time with each wife.

If these conditions are not met, a man is not allowed to have multiple wives. However, exceptions may be made in certain cases, such as when one wife voluntarily renounces her rights.

A number of reasons have been cited as justification for polygamy. Among them,

The first wife's inability to have children due to her health.

End of reproductive age or unwillingness to have children.

The desire to provide social assistance to a single woman and her children.

The reason for this is the lack of sexual compatibility between the couple.

Before entering into a marriage with a new wife, the husband is required to inform his new wife of his previous family. It is also advisable to inform the first wife of the new marriage.

If the new wife is unaware of her husband's previous marriage and does not accept it, she has the right to annul her marriage.

Current Russian law allows only one official marriage at a time. Informal, legal marriages are not legally recognized, leading to a lack of legal protection.

As the mufti of Moscow, Ildar Alyautdinov, noted, a man must provide for all children financially and legally. For this, it is recommended to draw up a will through a notary.

Polygamy provides an opportunity for Russian Muslims to practice their religious traditions within the framework of the law. However, problems remain in harmonizing the law with Sharia requirements. The issue of legal protection and compliance with the law for women in Sharia marriages needs to be resolved.