writing about life with two wives proved cathartic for emirati author
Sunday 6 April 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Writing about life with two wives proved cathartic for Emirati author

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleWriting about life with two wives proved cathartic for Emirati author

Lawyer, poet and author Hussain Ali Lootah
Dubai - Arab Today

‘A life that I have been coping with for nearly three decades and finally had the courage to testify to, revealing secrets that were kept hidden within its walls for so long. I apologise. I apologise to those who fell victim to my life: myself first."
These lines in Between Two Wives, a book by Hussain Ali Lootah, an Emirati lawyer and poet, capture the heart of this semi-autobiographical narrative of the author’s life with two wives.
It’s an honest account of his life and his marriage to two women from different backgrounds: his first wife is Emirati; the second Ecuadorian. Through the character "Yusuf", the author shares his views on marriage, family, racism, customs and Jinn.
"I wrote this book to share my experience with family and friends and people who have been curious about my life for a long time," says Lootah, 56, who is a father of nine children and six grandchildren.
"It is not a book written to explain the religious rules of multiple wives, nor do I pretend to be an expert. It is my personal journey and what I went through when I decided to marry for a second time. I felt guilty for causing pain to myself and to those people around me."
Published by Motivate Publishing last July, Lootah will be a guest author at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature on March 10. The novel will be published in Arabic, the language in which it was originally written, this month. "I chose English as I wanted more people to read the book," he says.
Readers meet Yusuf as he is suffering chest pains. He complains about feeling "exhausted most of the time" and how he needs to have an honest look at his life. Readers are then transported to his traditional childhood in which his father was a seaman and falconer. Yusuf as a young man wonders about traditions and marriage, and readers are introduced to his first wife Aliyaa, who struggles after the death of her parents before their marriage in 1984. After the couple settle down, the readers meet Maria, who marries Yusuf in 1986.
What follows is Yusuf’s struggle living two separate lives (in Dubai with Aliyaa and with Maria in Abu Dhabi), with fears of backlash from both of the wives’ families if either find out.
"Fear! Fear for the zillionth time... He was afraid of Aliyaa’s reaction and its aftermath on her and their children. But he was much more afraid of the negative change, the glances and attitude he would get from Aliyaa’s cousins and family," the book reads.
A fire at Maria’s house results in Yusuf confessing to Aliyaa. Yusuf then endures interference from his community, including accusations that he was bewitched by Maria.
"One of the nearest to Yusuf even used to introduce him to others as a poet, an attorney at law and the spouse-of-two, as if this last attribute was some kind of profession or skill that he had to be known for," it reads.
Yusuf then works multiple jobs to take care of everyone financially, and each wife tries to help out the best she can. Aliyaa "sent her children to public schools instead of private ones" and Maria "bought a sewing machine to embroider towels and sell them." Yusuf finally becomes successfully and sets up a law firm, and yet his troubles are not over. The novel ends in ambiguity with a far from simple solution: "You owe a duty to yourself."
"I am a deeply responsible person," says Lootah, who spent more than four years writing his book. He has already published four poetry works and is working on another.

Source : The National

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

writing about life with two wives proved cathartic for emirati author writing about life with two wives proved cathartic for emirati author

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 07:47 2017 Wednesday ,20 September

Israel sees benefits in independent Kurdistan

GMT 06:12 2012 Saturday ,07 January

Henry rejoins Arsenal

GMT 03:59 2012 Wednesday ,06 June

Sherine working on Khaleeji album

GMT 18:13 2011 Thursday ,16 June

Open-air opera has returned simpl

GMT 12:39 2011 Monday ,25 July

Singer’s cousin is jailed for robbery

GMT 09:23 2011 Monday ,21 November

Syria: unprecedented isolation

GMT 18:46 2012 Wednesday ,29 February

The President wants to conquer space

GMT 05:33 2016 Friday ,09 September

Petrobras to sponsor Rio Paralympics

GMT 13:03 2011 Saturday ,24 September

Rio opens world\'s biggest music festival

GMT 15:14 2015 Sunday ,29 March

Sudan denies closing Iranian embassy in Khartoum

GMT 21:00 2012 Wednesday ,09 May

Libya police end Agoco protest, secure offices

GMT 15:28 2012 Saturday ,04 August

Our government if fighting corruption

GMT 06:37 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Information Ministry, Tamkeen sign agreement

GMT 18:02 2017 Monday ,13 February

Settlers Continue to Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque

GMT 07:24 2017 Sunday ,31 December

Turkey rages after 'coup' officer granted asylum

GMT 15:50 2017 Wednesday ,09 August

US nuclear arsenal 'more powerful than ever

GMT 18:12 2016 Tuesday ,06 December

ANB wins Most Sustainable Bank 2016 award
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle