Shiite temporary marriages, a.k.a.”mutaa”, a.k.a enjoyment marriages are temporary unions that are entirely legal under the Shiite interpretation of Islamic law.
How Does a Temporary Marriage Work?
The practice began 1400 years ago as a way to ensure that war widows had the means to survive. The nuts and bolts of mutaa involve a written or non-written agreement, for a set duration, and the paying of a sum of money to the woman by the man. Shia temporary marriages can take place if the man already has a long-term wife. The “temporary” wife receives her husband according to his wishes, where and when he wants, although of course, mutaa doesn’t take place without her consent.
In a mutaa arrangement, the woman is entitled to payment only for the duration of the marriage. A woman cannot terminate a temporary marriage before it expires unless the man agrees. Once the marriage is over, she has to wait at least two menstrual cycles before she can have another relationship so that paternity can be easily determined if she becomes pregnant.
A Case In Point: Iraq
In 2003, Saddam Hussein’s Sunni-led government banned enjoyment marriages, but mutaa has experienced a renaissance since 2003 when the U.S invasion brought Shiites back into power and with it, came the legalization of these temporary marriages.
Shiite supporters of the custom claim that during Saddam’s rule, there was no religious freedom in Iraq, and that temporary marriages are an example of their right to choose their path within Islam.
Shiites who practise mutaa claim it keeps young women from having sex outside of marriage and prevents widowed or divorced women from having to resort to prostitution. According to mutaa supporters. These temporary marriages aren’t such a far cry from a traditional marriage given that a dowry of sorts is paid and the woman’s financial needs are covered.
Temporary Marriages: What the Critics Say
Critics, who are mainly Sunni Muslims, claim that temporary marriages aren’t based on religious freedom, but are an example of economic exploitation.
Women rights activists claim that mutaa is a front for prostitution. And is thinly covered by religious and law. Many intellectual critics feel that ancient traditions such as these, block Iraq’s effort to become a more modern, democratic society. They also feel it is an insult to women and voice concern for its growing popularity on college campuses.
In an interesting article on mutaa in Iraq by the Washington Post, Hamdia Ahmed, a former member of parliament and a women’s rights activist in Baghdad says. “The only solution is to separate Islam from politics.”
Coming Full Circle
Ironically, the original intention of using mutaa as a way to provide for women widowed by war in order that they can survive financially has come full circle in Iraq.
The Iraq war and sectarian violence that followed left many Iraqi women to fend for themselves. What’s more, many young men who are reaching marriage age in post-war Iraq literally don’t have the means to support a permanent wife and find it easier to organize a temporary marriage.
Mutaa is a comparatively common and accepted practise in neighbouring Shiite governed Iran. This fuels support from Iraqis in favour of it in their own country, and contempt from those who oppose it.