Russian Islamic Authorities Reverse Stand on Polygamy

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Muslim women

The Council of Ulema (scientific-theologians) of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (DUM) of the Russian Federation last week issued a fatwa allowing Muslims of the Russian Federation to enter up to four religious marriages concurrently, provided a fair and equal relationship of the husband to all wives, RIA Novosti reported, citing Deputy Chairman of the Council and Deputy Chairman of the Duma of the Russian Federation, Mufti of Moscow Ildar Alyautdinov.

“The decision was made to counter the possibility of a man’s imprisonment for a second to fourth marriage,” the Mufti explained.

However, state prosecutors contended that the ruling conflicted with Russian law, which forbids individuals from marrying again while still legally married. Russia’s Family Code explicitly forbids individuals from entering into a registered marriage if they are already legally married. However, this prohibition exists against the backdrop of a worsening demographic crisis, with Russian authorities facing challenges such as population decline driven by emigration, low birth rates, and high mortality rates.

On Monday, media outlets reported that Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office had sent a letter to the head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims, urging the revocation of the fatwa.

As a result, on Tuesday, Russia’s top Islamic authority rescinded its decision allowing a man to marry multiple women.

In the past, Chechen authorities voiced support for legalizing polygamy in Russia. In 2015, Magomed Daudov, a close associate of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, described polygamy as a “widespread practice” and suggested that “it wouldn’t hurt to regulate it somehow.”

Nurdi Nukhazhiev, who served as Chechnya’s human rights commissioner at the time, also backed Daudov’s stance.

The fatwa specified that a man may practice polygamy only if he can guarantee fair and equal treatment for all wives. This includes providing equal financial support, separate housing for each wife, and dividing his time equally among them according to an agreed-upon schedule.

If a man cannot meet these conditions, he is barred from entering into multiple religious marriages unless a prospective bride voluntarily waives her rights to these provisions.

Additionally, the fatwa outlined specific circumstances under which polygamy may be permitted by the DUM. These included situations where the first wife cannot conceive due to health issues, lack of desire, or age; cases of sexual incompatibility between spouses; or when a man seeks to offer social and financial support to a single woman and her children.

The DUM acknowledged that women in religious-only marriages lack legal protections, a point critics highlight as a significant vulnerability for women in polygamous unions.

Furthermore, the fatwa’s conditions placed a substantial burden of proof on religious institutions and individuals to ensure compliance. How these provisions align with Russia’s secular legal system and broader societal values remains uncertain.