Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — A Saudi woman in her 30s has approached a law office to file a lawsuit to restrain her quinquagenarian husband from taking a fourth wife.

Information obtained by Al-Watan Arabic daily indicates that the woman wants the law office to seek consent of the businessman husband's children before filing the lawsuit.

The husband reportedly owns several properties in Jeddah and is very well off. The woman claimed that her husband is a spendthrift, extravagant and spends lavishly on the women he marries, without caring for his family of seven sons and daughters.

She also claimed that her husband spent a quarter of his wealth on his other wives, whom he divorced later. The woman demanded that her children be given their legitimate rights, in line with the Shariah, after interdicting her husband.

Legitimate reason

Badr Al-Ghamdi, a lawyer of repute, said any lawsuit seeking to restrain a man from remarrying merely on the premise that the litigant wants to protect her children’s interests contravenes the Shariah (Islamic law).

Such cases are very rare and are not accepted by the pertinent courts unless the man is proved to be mentally retarded. However, the reasons must be scrutinized and the man’s health condition needs to be investigated, Al-Ghamdi said.

The lawyer said a medical report should be obtained from competent authorities confirming the man's mental state, whether he is suffering from Alzheimer’s or is unable to manage his financial affairs.

Al-Ghamdi disclosed that there are fraudulent cases filed by dishonest people, but the courts do not accept them.

But in the event of an attempt to file a lawsuit or appoint a legal authority to file the case against a psychologically balanced person who is well aware of all his actions and conduct, such an action will have a severe and adverse psychological and emotional impact on the defendant, in addition to having massive negative effect.