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Malaysian woman seeks court consent for husband to marry her close friend
Shuhadah Jaafar, of Terengganu, Malaysia, sought court approval for her husband to marry her best friend as a second wife after learning he had developed feelings for the woman.
Earlier this year, her story attracted public attention in Malaysia after she shared her acceptance of a polygamous marriage involving her close friend Nor Azura Mohd Azmin, the Sun Malaysia said.
Malaysian woman seeks court consent for husband to marry her close friend |
Muhammad Azizi Zakaria with his two wives. Photo from Instagram/@azizizakaria1225 |
Shuhadah met Nor Azura Mohd Azmin through work and later became close. During their time together, Shuhadah’s husband of seven years, Muhammad Azizi Zakaria, developed feelings for Nor Azura.
“When I discovered my husband had feelings for my friend and wanted to marry her, I was definitely sad. After all, no wife wants to share her husband,” she told Malaysian newspaper Harian Metro, describing feelings of betrayal and fear of being replaced.
She said her decision was influenced by her husband’s openness. Azizi acknowledged his feelings instead of hiding them and asked for permission to marry a second wife, according to the country’s regulations.
After considering the matter, Shuhadah agreed and appeared in the Syariah Court, Malaysia’s Islamic court that oversees Muslim family and marriage matters, to support her husband’s application. They held a simple wedding ceremony at their shared home.
Azizi said the judge repeatedly told him that “the greatest appreciation should go to your wife”.
The three are currently adjusting to living together.
“I shared about their marriage on social media because I didn’t want rumours spreading, and I wanted to show husbands out there who are thinking about polygamy that they should be straightforward with their first wives.
“Don’t hide it if you want to marry again, because it will only damage your relationship with your partner,” Shuhadah said.
Malaysian woman seeks court consent for husband to marry her close friend |
Malaysia’s marriage laws differ by religion. For non-Muslims, the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 requires monogamy.
For Muslims, who form the majority of the population, Islamic Family Law allows men to have up to four wives under strict conditions. These include approval from the Syariah Court, proof of sufficient financial means to support all wives and children, a commitment to fair treatment in material support, time and affection, and consultation with the first wife.
While permission from the first wife is not mandatory in some states, her views and consent are considered important by judges when assessing whether a new marriage is necessary and reasonable.
In recent years, Syariah courts in Malaysia have tightened these requirements to protect the rights of women and children, making polygamous marriages more difficult and largely limited to men with sufficient financial resources.
