"Pleasure marriages" making a comeback in liberated Iraq
05.05.05 (7:18 pm) [edit]
"Pleasure marriages," or temporary unions between a man and a woman where sex is exchanged for money, are called muta'a by the Sharia, and are making a comeback in Iraq, according to USA Today.
"Pleasure marriages were outlawed under Saddam Hussein but have begun to flourish again. The contracts, lasting anywhere from one hour to 10 years, generally stipulate that the man will pay the woman in exchange for sexual intimacy. Now some Iraqi clerics and women's rights activists are complaining that the contracts have become less a mechanism for taking care of widows than an outlet for male sexual desires."
Gee, you think? Someone please explain to me how muta'a (which means "ecstacy" in Arabic) is different from prostitution.
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"Pleasure marriages were outlawed under Saddam Hussein but have begun to flourish again. The contracts, lasting anywhere from one hour to 10 years, generally stipulate that the man will pay the woman in exchange for sexual intimacy. Now some Iraqi clerics and women's rights activists are complaining that the contracts have become less a mechanism for taking care of widows than an outlet for male sexual desires."
Gee, you think? Someone please explain to me how muta'a (which means "ecstacy" in Arabic) is different from prostitution.
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posted by: rinna (reply)
post date: 05.05.05 (6:37 pm)
"A turbaned Shiite cleric who issues wedding permits from a street-side counter in Sadr City says he encourages permanent marriages but gives the OK for pleasure marriages when there are 'special reasons.'"
Right. Like a marriage certificate holds any weight when it's off the street corner.
Any excuse'll do, huh?
posted by: almsthvn (reply)
post date: 05.06.05 (5:36 am)
I'm baffled!
So... I guess that means divorce is ok, then, if the marriage is temporary?
posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 05.06.05 (3:53 pm)
sounds like the oldest profession to me......
posted by: ScubaDiva (reply)
post date: 05.06.05 (3:59 pm)
Sign me up. Maybe I should put an ad on ebay. Would the 'husband' be required to do yard work and home repairs?
posted by: brogonzo (reply)
post date: 05.06.05 (7:35 pm)
Reply to: ScubaDiva
I think the deal is, you get money, he gets sex.
Of course, you could always stipulate some yard work in the initial agreement.
posted by: ScubaDiva (reply)
post date: 05.06.05 (7:46 pm)
Depends on how much money and how much sex. Requirements would include frequent showering/grooming, him sleeping in another room if he snores, farts or talks in his sleep... And it would depend on how often he wanted it (and how his performance was). I'm sure there's some sort of formula for it.
posted by: kastoo (reply)
post date: 05.12.05 (10:17 am)
Gee...I never would have imagined Muslims going for something like that especially when they kill women for even revealing themselves...odd