LazyByNature said:
The real reason that men in Saudi can have multiple wives is because in Islam women are treated as property. Women are not allowed to drive a car, they are not allowed out of the house without a male relatives escort, they are not allowed to show their face, arms, or legs in public, they can not leave the country without permission from their husband or father.
In the US we can have multiple cars and houses and in Saudi the men can have multiple wives. Also in Saudi a men can divorce his wife by saying it 4 times and he can have short term marriages (with prostitutes) that are quickly ended afterwords.
Dude,
Unfortunately practices in Saudia Arabia don't represent islam. Saudi does in fact treat women poorly (car, escort, etc). Islam does not. Islam does not make restriction on driving, an escort etc.
The real reason islam allowed 4 wives was because during the time islam was revealed, polygamy was very very common. People had upwards of 11 wives. Islam restricted it 4 and put condition on it; such as equal treatment, time, and money. Another reason was to spread Islam more quickly. More wives, more pregnancy thus more kids. Finally the biggest reason was during time of war, when women would lose their husbands and couldn't find men to marry. Being single during those times were very tough. Women would prefer to marriage to man with other wives (especially if they were widows with kids) than be single and not taken care of. If the women does not agree with her husband marrying another, then she has the right to a divorce.
As far as short term marriages. The marriage is not lawful unless it is publicly announced and understood by the people (ex: wedding). Thus these short term marriages for prostituation are not islamically legal (your intentions are legit).
As for my opinion. You have two situations:
a) Married man and women. Man has a girlfriend on the side. Girlfriend doesn't know of the wife. Wife doesn't know of the girlfriend. Man is committing adultry which is a great sin.
or
b) Married man to two women. Both women know each other, both agree with the situation, both their kids play together.
I would take B over A. Unfortunately in this country B is illegal.