Egypt's top Muslim cleric calls polygamy an injustice for women, but stops short of calling for a ban on a practice that is legal but uncommon in most of the Islamic world.
FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2011 file photo, Ahmed al-Tayeb, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Egypt's top Muslim cleric, meets with Egyptian presidential candidate Mohamed El Baradei, in Cairo, Egypt. Al-Tayeb has stirred up controversy after saying that polygamy is an "injustice" for women. His comments, aired Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, on state TV said "those who say that marriage must be polygamous are all wrong." He said polygamy is restricted in Islam and requires fairness.
“Those who say that marriage must be polygamous are all wrong. We have to read the verse in full, said Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam. Al-Tayeb said the practice came from “a lack of understanding of the Quran and the tradition of the Prophet” and it is “often an injustice to women and children.”
His comments, aired Friday on state TV, sparked a heated debate on social media, with some siding with scholars calling for a ban on the practice.“Islam honors women, treats them fairly and gives them numerous rights which didn’t exist before,” said Maya Morsi, the council’s chairwoman.
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