For the sake of their boutique business, a wife consents to her husband marrying her friend
A friendship that began over a boutique business has culminated in a marital arrangement. A woman has attracted public attention after permitting her husband to marry her own friend.
According to Wolipop, Shuhadah Jaafar has supported her husband for seven years. The story went viral on social media after she gave permission for her husband to marry Nor Azura Mohd Azmin, the woman she had known as a close friend.
Although initially sad, Shuhadah chose to be open-minded after her husband confessed his feelings. She valued his intention to formalise the relationship rather than maintaining a hidden arrangement behind her back.
“I don’t know any wife who would want to be the second wife? I needed time to think. But my husband explained that his wish to marry again is not out of lust, but for the sake of good because they run the business together,” Shuhadah was quoted as saying.
According to Shuhadah, she and Nor Azura began to know each other after ordering clothes from the boutique. They went out a few times and met at several events, though not very often. She also felt pity for Nor Azura’s background, who is now the second wife of her husband.
Shuhadah intentionally shared this story on social media to avoid gossip. She emphasised the importance of openness when one chooses polygamy, rather than marrying secretly or fleeing abroad.
“It’s easier when the madu is a friend because harmony already exists. Now our relationship is even closer,” she added.
On the other hand, her husband, Muhammad Azizi, said the love they spoke of arrived unexpectedly. Although he initially felt guilty and tried to distance himself, he ultimately chose to be honest with his wife and asked for her blessing, following the legal procedures at court.
He said he was deeply moved because his first wife not only gave permission but also facilitated the marriage being held at their own home, rather than at a mosque or religious office.
The story has drawn both praise and criticism online. A significant number of netizens condemned it. In Indonesia, Komnas Perempuan views polygamy as a form of violence against women, a view derived from studies noting the negative impacts of polygamy outweigh its benefits.