Women's Reactions to Their Husband's Temporary Marriage

One of the most significant factors affecting the consequences of married men’s temporary marriage (mutʿah) on the family is how the permanent wife reacts to her husband’s temporary marriage. This study aims to investigate women’s reactions when faced with their husband’s temporary marriage. Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, interviews were conducted with 24 women who had experienced their husband’s temporary marriage, and the interviews were analyzed. The findings reveal that women’s reactions include: Disclosure – informing the husband about their awareness, investigating the nature of the relationship, contacting the temporary wife, and confronting the husband. Resilience – remaining silent and patient, accepting and adapting, and deciding to continue the marriage. Revenge-seeking – engaging in confrontational behaviors and pursuing legal action against the husband. Motherhood Focus – striving for children’s well-being and having more children to increase intimacy and sustain the marriage. Well-being Enhancement – improving marital relations and personal development. Women’s reactions can be categorized into problem-focused coping (resilience, motherhood focus, and well-being enhancement) and emotion-focused coping (disclosure and revenge-seeking). Key factors influencing these reactions include prior consent and awareness, emotional and sexual intimacy, having children, and economic support. Given the significant role of women’s coping strategies in shaping the outcomes of their husband’s temporary marriage, it is recommended that women facing this issue receive training on appropriate coping strategies.