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We Disapprove of Adultery in The UAE, But It Happens
It is fair to say that we officially disapprove of infidelity. This is a Muslim country and adultery is considered the tenth greatest sin in Islam. But disapproval of something does not mean that it doesn’t happen. In fact, one of the chief complaints I received on social media about an earlier piece I wrote on rising levels of divorce in this country was that adultery was not cited as a significant reason.
“Most couples I know who are divorced is because of adultery, I’m surprised that wasn’t mentioned in the article,” was one Facebook comment.
“Men still looking for other woman (2nd or 3rd wife), affairs or sex partners,” was another.
“Facts missing (in your piece),” tweeted a third, “high men infidelity rate.”
Most of the social media responses that mentioned adultery were from Emirati women, prompting three questions: is it true that extramarital affairs are one of the main reasons for rising levels of divorce? And if so, are more Emirati men being unfaithful to their wives? Or is it that more women are unwilling to put up with such behaviour from their husbands?
Marriage counsellors privately admit that infidelity is one of the main reasons that couples are divorcing today. According to one counsellor, who asked not to be named, roughly half of all her cases end in divorce on grounds of infidelity. The problem is that in the past, men married and remarried quite easily because Islam allows four wives at any one time. But now, many women don’t accept this and refuse to be one of many wives. They consider this to be infidelity and an insult, explained the counsellor, and ask for a divorce. If there is a divorce, it may lead some men into relationships with multiple women.
The counsellor’s insights seemed to indicate that those social media responses to my article were right and adultery really was an important reason for rising divorce rates.
Source: www.thenational.ae