Update to this story. “Death verdict for man with 80 wives,” from SMH.com, August 23:
LAGOS: An Islamic body in Nigeria has issued a death sentence on a man who married 80 women against the maximum of four allowed by Islam, The Guardian reported yesterday.
Earlier it was reported that he had 86 wives? Perhaps the shura council decided that six of them were ma malakat aymenkum, that is, concubines?
Jamatu Nasril Islam said in a statement that Mohammadu Bello Masaba from the central Niger state stood condemned to death unless he divorced 76 of the women in four days.
“Unless Masaba repents within four days and take only four wives from the herd he remains condemned to death, according to sharia law,” the statement said.
Well, at least they’re consistent.
“Any Muslim who married more than the approved number of wives at a time either by mistake or out of ignorance is instructed to choose but only four and ask for Allah’s forgiveness,” Jamatu Nasril Islam said.