Tolerance and Multiple Marriage  I was reading last night
through the leading commentary on Iraq's Personal Status Law,
written decades ago by Dr. Ahmed Al Kubaisi in connection with
an upcoming casebook on Islamic Law that I am coauthoring with
Mark Cammack of Southwestern Law School.  Therein, I found a
most fascinating passage that I think reflects particular biases
that are relevant in contemporary American discourse,
specifically on the question of same sex marriage.  In the
passage, Kubaisi is objecting to a provision of Iraq's Personal
Status Code that grants to the judge the power to permit or deny
a multiple marriage based on specified crtieriaSpecifically,
Kubaisi says:  Then many families will resent the judiciary
interfering in their most private of affairs.  Perhaps the wife
has a problem that leads the husband to take another wife.  Yet
he is fair, and capable of supporting more than one.  But he
would disdain the fact that he or his wife would become the
subject of inspection or investigation. 