The (heavy burden of) responsibility

An interesting news, even MSN picks it up as newsworthy :)

"Malaysian man finally wins nod for fourth wife: report

A Malaysian odd-job man with 18 children has finally won permission to take a fourth wife, after being knocked back repeatedly because of his low income, reports said Tuesday.

A judge in the conservative northern state of Terengganu finally relented after being convinced that the new wife, 34-year-old Suzi Sulong, was truly in love with Mohamed Nor Awang, who is 16 years her senior, The Star daily said.

"To be frank with you, before this proceeding, I met your future wife and her family and urged them to look for another candidate as you already have three wives," Judge Sheikh Ahmad Ismail Hakim said in the Islamic sharia court.

"But Suzi told me that no man could replace you in her heart," he reportedly said.

Mohamed, 51, already has 18 children with his first three wives -- who consented to the new match.

His appeal to the court to marry again had been rejected three times previously as his 3,000-ringgit (937-dollar) monthly income from doing odd jobs was ruled as insufficient to support such a large family.

"But your three wives told the court they are willing to help each other out (financially), which shows there is cooperation among them," Sheikh Ahmad reportedly said."

Well, it does raise some eyebrow whenever this kind of news hit the headline, doesn't it? A few weeks back, another man was granted permission to take a fourth wife, but the land broker is able to prove that he earns 20K per month, and presents each of his three wives, a house and a car.

The issue of polygamy has always been misunderstood, with most women are against it, citing it is unfair to the women, while some men would think that its a privilege accorded to them by God to have wives more than one. But IMHO, the most important lesson forgotten by all, is that polygamy is NOT a privilege, its responsibility.

Some men forgot that they are shouldering a heavy responsibility upon taking another wife, and its not to be taken lightly. Responsibility in this world, and the next and they will be asked about it. That is the really sad thing, to see families broken,and children neglected. Its a heavy responsibility, no matter if you earn 20K or just three thousand dollars :)

What love has to do with it?