Muslim_Tradition_Of_Polygamy

Muslim Tradition Of Polygamy Muslim Tradition of Polygamy For centuries, women in different cultures have been ill treated and given less importance. Men dictate the fate and future of women in most societies and they hardly care about women’s feelings. This is evident in Sembene Ousman’s short story “ Her Three Days ” that depicts the plight of a third wife waiting for her husband to return. Ousmane uses the dynamic character of Noumbe to highlight the status of women in a typical Muslim society. Noumbe, a victim to the Muslim polygamic rule that “ every wife of a Muslim is entitled to three days of her husband’s company each month ” wishes she could have her husband all for herself. She is heart-broken when her husband doesn’t show up during her three days, which is her right. Noumbe thinks about her three days in a thousand different ways at the beginning, but as time goes on, she realizes how unfairly she was being treated. Ousmane uses various symbols throughout the story to communicate his theme that women should stand up against the unequal and unfair treatment that they receive. As suggested by the title, the number three is extremely significant in this story. Firstly, three, noumbe, days, women, odd, mustapha, muslim, husband, numbers, noumbe’s, wife, story, show, five, been, ousmane, one, number, mustapha’s, end, being, waiting, various, unfair, two, treatment, transition, tradition, symbols, state, should, preference, mind, herself, health