Egypt sarcastic book praises polygamy

Egyptian sarcastic writer Ihab Moawad released a controversial book titled “I Will Still Remarry,” in which he counts what he sees as advantages of polygamy for both men and women and for the society as a whole.

Moawad dedicates his book to the “oppressed” men in Egypt “who woke up one morning to find that society has changed from being predominantly male-oriented to being increasing female-oriented, Arab Press House reported.

Stereotyping polygamous men

He also dedicates the book to all single women, including his first wife who was angry when her husband remarried, allegedly for the best of their relationship.

In his book, Moawad tackles the way women perceive men who choose to have more than one wife and regard them as “unfaithful” and “disrespectful” and the way they look at their husband’s second wives.

Moawad writes about a conversation that took place between him and an unnamed woman and in which she lashed out at every man who remarries and every woman who agrees to become the second wife.

Men support polygamy

 No decent man will take another wife and stab his first wife in the back  

“No decent man will take another wife and stab his first wife in the back and no decent women would agree to ruin the relationship between a man and his wife and children,” she told him.

When he reminds her that polygamy is allowed in Islam, she argues that it is only done under very specific circumstances.

“A man can take a second wife in special cases. For example, if the first wife can’t have kids or is sick. But apart from this, it is unacceptable.”

Moawad interviews several single women and most of them rejected being second wives under any circumstances.

Men not like women

 After all this waiting, I can’t marry half a man 

“After all this waiting, I can’t marry half a man,” A woman told him. “But isn’t half a man who’s decent better than 100 men who are indecent?” he asked.
“No decent man would have two wives,” she replied, adding, “Men remarry because they are flirts and are not satisfied with one woman.”
In contrast to women, the men Moawed interviewed supported polygamy, which they see as important in many ways.

“Several men cannot live with one woman so they have to remarry to quench their desires. Isn’t that better than committing sins?” one of them said. “If he remarries, he will become more emotionally stable and this will also have a positive effect on the first wife.”

This man disagrees with women’s statements about men remarrying only if the wife is sick or can’t have kids.

“A man can remarry because he doesn’t like the way his wife treats him,” he added. “Some women think that being tough with men is the best way, but this is what makes a man look for another woman.”