A friend who is muslim clarified for me that multiple marriages are allowed by the Koran only in cases where the wife cannot bear children - specifically sons to carry on the family name -- and that some men abuse this allowance by simply bringing a younger wife into the family for his pleasure. And ask for her blessing. What if she says I cannot give my blessing? Does he go ahead with the second union anyway? Why can't men simply wait until they enter paradise? Why make their wife's life more difficult here on earth?