A recent study has revealed that a 61 per cent of Princess Nora University students in Saudi Arabia support a man’s right to marry more than one woman.

A questionnaire among Twitter users reveals: To the question, ‘Do you prefer marriage with a married man?’, 61 per cent of the students said: ‘Yes’; 30 per cent said ‘no’ and 9 per cent preferred ‘no opinion’, reported Arab News.

‘The issue sparked a wide debate on Twitter, including academics, writers and legal experts and others, with some opposing and some supporting.’

‘A professor of literary criticism at Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University calls multiple marriage in Islam ‘the original right of men’ and, in some cases, an obligation.’

‘Plurality is cited as Qur’anic verses directed to the general Ummah and is a legitimate matter with numerous benefits for men and women,’ he said.

The woman, the professor stressed, ‘is the main beneficiary, not the the man.’

‘If all male scholars, judges, science students and lawyers are limited to one wife, society will be deprived of the benefits and virtues, especially women,’ he said.

He said multiple marriage is based on ‘five Islamic jurisprudence principles, including what is permissible, which is the original matter, and what is halal based on the circumstances of the man.’

‘The third is ‘obligation,’ he said, noting that ‘a wealthy man who does not marry more than one woman is not meeting his religious obligation as he is financially capable, provided he is just and fair.’

The fourth principle is that multiple marriages are not favoured religiously when the man is difficult to live with and commits more errors with his second wife.’

‘Finally, the fifth principle is what is forbidden, he said, which applies when the man yells at his first wife and doesn’t give her money, and may do the same with his second wife.’

‘He said these five principals apply to all men based on their status and personal circumstances.’