Immediately make a reservation that the harem is not a place of carnal service. ARABIC WORD HARIM LANGUAGES NAME A WOMAN, WIFE, WIFE AND JUST A FEMALE HALF OF A HOUSE. SO THAT THE READER CAN CHOOSE THE LIKING HIS HEADING HEADLINE. THIS IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE ESSENCE.
Polygamy - historical feature of the East. It existed among the Arabian tribes and in pre-Islamic times. Marriages served to strengthen ties between tribes and tribal groups. Islam consolidated polygamy, but limited it to four wives. There are cases when the Prophet Muhammad forced Muslim converts to abandon three or more spouses who did not fit into the boundaries of the women's family "quartet" established by him.
At crucial moments in history, polygamy of leaders serves to unite society and strengthen the position of its leaders. So it was at the dawn of Islam with the Islamic prophet himself, at various stages of Arab history, in particular, during the creation of the Saudi kingdom and the establishment of the emirate state. “Marry those who are pleasant to you, women, and two, and three, and four,” says the overwhelming Quranic sura of “Women,” voiced by Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Islamic theologians note that the polygamists were also prophets who preceded the messenger of Allah. They call the names of Abraham, David, Solomon.
Eastern marriages, especially the marriages of influential Arabians, are a family affair, but not without a political connotation. In harem halves, politics is being made, both momentary and future-oriented. The Prophet Muhammad had 12 wives: Khadija, Souda, Aisha, Hafsa, Zeynab bint Hazima and Zeynab bint Jahsh, Umm Salma, Juvayriya, Safiya, Umm Habib, Mary and Maimuna. All the companions of the prophet, except Aisha, whom he embraced as a little girl, were already married, and his first wife, the rich merchant woman Khadija, who at the age of 40 became the wife of the poor 25-year-old drover of her caravans, who later performed a prophetic mission, even twice . The great Meccan lived with his first wife for a quarter century in a monogamous marriage and did not marry after her death for two years, held a post of abstinence.
Islamic historians interpret Muhammad’s late marriage, his long family life in harmony with Khadija, and the rejection of new marriage unions in the first years after her death as a refutation of the assumption that he was an overly sensual person. Contrary to our popular saying “gray hair in a beard - a demon in a rib”, they believe that the prophet could not have appeared too sensible at 52, when his chestnut beard began to turn gray. It was at this age and up to the age of 60 that he entered into many marriages. As an example, confirming this conclusion, historians recall that one of his wives, Souda, was 80 years old at the time of her marriage with Muhammad, and it was unlikely she could arouse any carnal feelings in him. Theologians call this marriage of the prophet an act of generosity and humanity towards a woman whose husband was the first to give his life for affirming Islam. Islamic widows also included his wife, Umm Salma and Umm Habib. Other marriages of Muhammad are also explained by religious, political and social motives.
Theologians claim that the beloved, young wife of the prophet Aisha was chosen by him so that in a society that did not know letters, to memorize in her memory everything that was laid down in the Islamic tradition, since, in accordance with Arabic folk wisdom, "the knowledge embedded in youth is equivalent to carving by stone. " Aisha, in fact, fulfilled this mission. After the death of the prophet, she lived for another 42 years and left to the descendants about 3000 legends relating to Islam, the life of the prophet and the life of his wives, who in Islam are called "mothers of the faithful." Many of these legends were included in the “Authentic code” of hadiths (Al-Jami as-sahih) of Imam al-Bukhari, which has more than 7,000 texts, which is recognized in the Islamic world as the most reliable and important source of information about the initial period of Islam. Historians note that one of the prophet's wives, Mary, was an Egyptian Christian, and her marriage was aimed at leaving the new religion outside the Arabian Peninsula. The marriage of Muhammad to a Jewish Safia was aimed at averting the Arabs from Judaism, which had already spread among the Arabian tribes. The marriage to Juvairie was aimed at reconciling the hostile tribe.
Let’s take another, perhaps the most striking Arab polygamist - the Saudi king Abdel Aziz ibn Abdel Rahman Al Saud. The founder of the current Saudi state, named by his family name, already in the new era, more than 1000 years after the proclamation of Islam, had dozens of wives who bore him more than four dozen sons. Seals are known 30 of his spouse. Some did not even leave their names in the annals of history. Separate marriages lasted no more than one night.
The kingdom unifier first married at age 17. His first-born prince Turki was born in the century before last, and the last son of the king, Prince Hamoud, is our contemporary. Only last year he turned 60 years old.
King Abdel Aziz's first wife was a Bedouin. His wives were the daughters of the leaders of the Arabian tribes, two residents of the emirate of Ajman, now part of the UAE state, and even the Russian Circassian.
He married a compatriot twice. Marriage, apparently, was not easy. Princess Hissa bandage Ahmed ibn Muhammad al-Sudeyri became his sixth wife. He divorced her and gave in marriage to his brother Muhammad. The princess gave birth to a brother-in-law, who became a husband, a son, but the king returned her to him. It was Princess Hissa who gave birth to the monarch of the late King Fahd, the current crown prince of the kingdom of Sultan ibn Abdel Aziz, princes Abdel Rahman, Turk, Naif, Salman and Ahmed. These siblings, the sons of Hissa al-Sudeiri, not without her efforts, play leading roles in the country, control the situation in the kingdom, defense issues, and the life of the capital. They missed the throne because of the seniority and merits of the current King Abdullah, who walked for a long time to the throne, since he was the only son of the daughter of the leader of the influential Saudi tribe "Shamar" - Princess Fahda and, apparently, did not have sufficient support among the blood princes. Having given birth to many daughters, she could not influence the promotion of her son in the hierarchical ladder of princes. The name of the wife of the current Saudi king does not appear in print, and the name of Hissa al-Sudeyri is still surrounded by reverence in Saudi Arabia. And while her powerful sons are alive, it will be so.
In the Emirates, it is not in the spirit of world tradition that the “first lady” is by no means the first wife of the current President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa - Sheikh Shams, but one of the wives of the late founder of the Emirate state, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The “first lady” of the UAE is Sheikh Fatma Bint Mubarak al-Katabi. She is the step mother of the current president, who is the first son of Sheikh Zayed from an earlier marriage. Her date of birth is not mentioned in official sources. She became the wife of Sheikh Zayed, according to press reports, in the late 50s. In 1960, she was born the first-born sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed - the current crown prince of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Fatma, like Sheikh Khalifa, was born in the city of Al Ain in the oasis of Al-Buraimi, where Sheikh Zayed was the governor of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, his elder brother Sheikh Shahbut, for about two decades until 1966. In the spirit of tradition, she is a faithful wife, an exemplary parent, a caring organizer of a stable family life throughout the country. Unlike other "first ladies" in the world, she is not without a claim, but quite reasonably, given the scale of activities of local authorities working on her behalf, they are called the "Mother of the Emirates."
The founder of the UAE state, the ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed, according to the Arabian tradition, had many wives. They name the names of nine, while noting that, in accordance with the instructions of the Prophet Muhammad and the instructions of Islam, he never had more than four spouses at a time. All marriages of Sheikh Zayed served to rally the tribes and their leaders around the ruler of the emirate.
In a polygamous Muslim family, there is always an older wife. After the declaration of Sheikh Zayed in August 1966, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Fatma stood out in that capacity. According to official information published in the local press, Sheikh Fatma bin Tub Mubarak al-Katabi was born in a simple, non-Sheikh family, in which she was the only daughter. She is more than 30 years younger than Sheikh Zayed, who was already about 50 years old during this marriage.
With the advent of Sheikh Zayed to power in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, his young wife moved with him to the family palace of the emirate's rulers - Qasr al-Hisn in the emirate's capital. Here, according to the local press, she began to learn the Qur'an and the Sunnah (life) of the Prophet Muhammad, taking private lessons. The wife of the ruler, who became the first president of the country he created 5 years later, thoroughly studied the Arabic language, studied mathematics, history, geography, foreign languages, especially English. She knows the Nabataean folk poetry, transmitted mainly orally, compiled in the local dialect.
Sheikh Fatma was never photographed. Of the men, only her sons now know her in person, since from the age of 14 she wears exclusively national clothes and a veil, which she does not intend to refuse. At the same time, the women of the country, in her opinion, are free to relate to the veil as they understand themselves in time, in the spirit of national and family traditions, for the sake of their own taste.
Having fallen from the hut to the palace, the first Emirate lady did not forget the share of commoners. She knows how to cook and knows traditional cuisine. Children always paid a lot of attention, is their friend. He treats daughters-in-law as daughters, loves grandchildren, travels with them. Allocates special time for classes with his descendants. Allegedly, even taught them horseback riding, swimming and shooting. Sheikh Fatma is known in the country for her charity work and concern for women's destinies. It provides women with grants for research projects and provides assistance to women from other countries, especially Palestine, Kosovo, and Iraq.
Sheikh Fatma leaves his chambers only to participate in the work of women's organizations. Especially for her, the first in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Women's Association was created to involve women in public life. The first task of the association was to combat illiteracy among women.
After the creation of the state of the UAE in 1971, the personal "Majlis" (council) of Sheikh Fatma was opened for meetings with women, which she held twice a week. The people called her the "female ambassador" under the president. In 1973, under the auspices of the first wife of Sheikh Zayed, the Abu Dhabi Women's Renaissance Association was created. In 1975, the Women's Union subordinate to Sheikh was established in the country as a single national body representing women. In the same year, she participated in the women's summit in Mexico. Sheikh Fatma is the Senior President of the Family Development Organization in Abu Dhabi. In May 2007, at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Organization of Arab Women in the Emirate’s capital, she was elected chairman of this organization for women from 15 Arab countries for the next three years.
Sheikh Fatma has a personal official website on the Internet www.sh-fatima-officellss.com/. It was opened three years ago on behalf of its Bureau of Indigenous Affairs and Social Services. The Bureau and its website serve to implement projects and programs to strengthen the family and promote initiatives aimed at improving the life of the emirates. The site provides communication with organizations and bodies working in the social sphere, provides advice.
The name "Mother of the Emirates" will be given to a specialized women's and children's hospital in Abu Dhabi worth about 300 million dirhams (more than $ 80 million), which is being built by a group of national companies. This country's largest hospital for women and children, where the leading role is played by American physicians, will be served at the level of a 5-star hotel.
The name of Sheikh Fatma is widely popularized in a country where two women head ministries, one woman is elected and eight are appointed to the local deliberative parliament - the Federal National Council. For the female population, Sheikh Fatma is an example and a role model. "Mothers of the Emirates" is dedicated to poems by men, women and children. She is called "beloved mother," "crown of tenderness," "the setting sun." She is dedicated to the operetta performed at the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the founding of the state.
Sheikh Fatma is a symbol of devotion to the cause of Sheikh Zayed, a symbol uniting the emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Federation of Emirates, which serves to strengthen the position, primarily of its six influential sons, who have 13 half brothers from other marriages of Sheikh Zayed.
Sheikh Fatma’s sons in seniority: Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, professional pilot, division general Sheikh Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan, National Security Advisor Sheikh Khazza, one of the leaders of the Executive Council (Government) of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Tahnun, Minister of Presidency Sheikh Mansour, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah
She also has two daughters: Sheikh Shamm and Sheikh Al-Yaziya.
According to Arab folk wisdom in Arabian society, "a woman either pleases or commands." - The harem halves live by the same laws that operate in society as a whole. There are subjects, and there is power in the harem. And it spills out beyond them.
