Saudi woman offers SR5 million to find Mr. Right

Riyadh, April 15: If you are looking for a rich wife, then read this story. A Saudi woman is offering SR5 million (Dh4.9 million) to get married — even if it is a Misyar marriage.

But wait. The woman has conditions which she will not reveal now. The main thing is that the new husband must “appreciate marriage life.”

The woman published the attractive offer in the Saudi Arabic language magazine Roa, which said applicants can write to it by e mail or fax. The announcement neither mentioned the woman’s name and age nor where she lives.

“Applicants should provide their contact number so the woman will contact them in case she agrees on the marriage,” the magazine said.

It quoted the woman as saying:”It does not matter whether the new husband is attracted to my money as the most important thing is that he must appreciate marriage life and marital duties…I am even ready to accept a Misyar marriage and pay him SRfive million at once…he will live with me in my villa and must accept all my conditions which I will reveal to him later.”

The magazine said the woman was married before but that she divorced her husband “was greedy and wanted only money.”

“I made the wrong choice first time….I want to make the right choice now…my main obsession now is to marry…I am desperate to marry,” the woman said.

Misyar is a marriage contract where couples can live separately but get together regularly, often for sexual relations.

Although permitted in Saudi Arabia and under Islam, Misyar is not popular with many who see it as legal prostitution. Women lose nearly all their rights in a Misyar marriage and nearly 80 per cent of Misyar relationships end in divorce.

A Filipino Romeo-Juliet story in Saudi

Two Saudi families who employ a Filpina housemaid and a Filipino driver decided to re-enact the famous Romeo and Juliette play by English playwright William Shakespeare but with a happy ending.

Instead of drinking poison and unite in death after failing to marry in life, the Philippine couple drank beverage to mark their wedding following an18-year love story that swept through the two families and most of their neghbourhood in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The wedding was funded by the Saudi families.

“It was in contrast with the image characterizing Saudi families that they mistreat their maids,” the Arabic language daily Sharq said.

“The employers of the Filipina maid and their neighbours who employ the Filipino driver met and decided to stage a big wedding for the couple…it was held in a rest house and attended by many people, mostly maids and drivers.”

The paper said the marriage was arranged by the Philippine embassy in Riyahd, adding that the two Saudi families decided to allow the maid and her new husband to meet regularly in a way that will interfere with their jobs.”