Ashwaq Al-Twairiqi Okaz/Saudi Gazette MINA – “Half of their dowries was memorizing the Holy Qur'an and the other half was taking them to the holy land,” said Mir Hussein, a Pakistani national, about his four wives who performed Haj with him. Hussein is known among his folk for his beautiful Qur'an recitation to the extent that many of the town's residents wish to marry their daughters to him. Hussein, who hails from a remote Pakistani town, married his first wife Zainab, who is also his cousin, when he memorized the Holy Qur'an at the age of 15. She was his uncle's gift to him. He married Hafsa, his second wife, for a dowry of several rupees and a promise to take her for Haj. He gave the same promise to the brother of his third wife, Zulaikha, when he married her. As to Sajidah, his fourth wife, he married her after he led Isha prayers in one of the mosques while visiting another Pakistani town for some personal work. Hussein was reciting some verses of the Holy Qur'an. When he completed his recitation an old man came close to him and sat down. He praised Hussein's melodious recitation. The old man was so impressed that he held Hussein's hands and offered him his daughter in marriage provided he taught her the Qur'an, even after learning from their conversation that Hussein already had three wives and 15 sons and daughters from them. While marrying Sajidah, who is 12 years younger than him, Hussein promised her that her dowry would be a copy of the Holy Qur'an from “the land of the two holy mosques”, apart from a pilgrimage. They have been blessed with five sons. Hussein said he came to Haj accompanied by his four wives to fulfill his promise and pay off his dowry commitments.
