Polygyny in Islamic Law and Pukhtun Practice
نویسنده
چکیده
The Pukhtun of Swat in Northern Pakistan refer to Islam to justify the local practice of polygamy and female subordination. However, a survey of Islamic law shows its intent is far more egalitarian than Pukhtun practice. Using a mixture of case studies and statistical evidence, this paper argues that in Swat husbands take second wives mainly in a spirit of revenge, reflecting the endemic hostility between spouses that exists within this strongly patriarchal segmentary lineage organization in which romantic love is reserved for chaste extramarital relationships. The paper concludes by suggesting that an ideology of the primacy of paternal blood underlies the misogynistic attitudes characteristic of Swat, and predominant elsewhere in the Middle East and the Circum-Mediterranean region. Key Terms: Polygyny, Islamic Law, Patriarchy, Social Organization, Misogyny
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