Who are we to judge 'misyar' couples?

My article about "misyar marriages" - where women have no rights and men have no obligations - and they just get together for companionship and sex received a mixed reaction from our readers.

However, the majority of comments were criticism and anger from all women and men who accept to get into such relationship.

I personally don't believe in such marriages. And don't think it should be considered as a marriage. However, when I spoke to the former marriage counselor at Dubai Courts, I was shocked by the things she said.

There are many women living alone with no men in their lives. Majority of women are rich and capable of taking care of themselves financially.

They are widowed or divorced, and they have grown up children who in most cases are either married and busy with their own lives or travelling abroad for higher education.

These women have almost everything in life. The only thing they seek is to have male's companionship. They don't want to have illegal affairs. They want to get married.

Unfortunately, they do not get the proper marriage proposal in which their husbands can be with them all the time.

They agree to such situations because many of them don't want the husband to be around all the time either. They have their children with them, thus, they seek this companionship only for a few times a week.

The counselor said that many of these "misyar marriages" have turned into normal marriage after sometime as both the husband and wife feel they want to be together more often. A large number of such couples start to have children too.

I don't think it is a good idea to judge these women or men. I don't want to drag religion into this topic either. After all it is what each person believes.

When they get into such relationship, I am sure they know the consequences very well.

We should never try to imagine ourselves in their shoes. Each person is different, and they have their priorities.

If this kind of marriage provides these men and women with the kind of comfort they want, then why not?

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