Muslim men in Russia will be allowed to take up to four wives in religious marriages, the Council of Ulema – part of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims – has decreed.

The announcement, made by Deputy Chairman and Moscow Mufti Ildar Alyautdinov to state media outlet RIA Novosti, specifies the conditions under which men can enter into multiple religious unions, despite it being illegal under Russian law.

The ruling permits such marriages in cases including a wife’s inability to conceive due to health reasons, her advanced age, sexual incompatibility, or a mutual decision not to have children. Men must ensure equal financial support, provide separate housing for each wife, and allocate time fairly among them. Alyautdinov emphasised that failure to fulfil these obligations would nullify the marriage arrangement.

"It is unacceptable to conceal the existence of a wife. If the second wife is unaware and unwilling to accept the situation, she has the right to demand annulment of her nikah (Islamic marriage contract)," Alyautdinov stated.

The unions fall outside Russian law, as the country's Family Code prohibits polygamy and forbids registering a marriage if one party is already married. However, religious unions not registered with the state are unregulated, leaving women in such marriages vulnerable in disputes over inheritance, financial support, or child custody. Alyautdinov acknowledged these limitations, describing the decree as a means to provide some security for women in religious polygamous unions, despite the lack of formal legal recognition.

Although de facto polygamy is illegal in Russia, it is not criminalised. Official registration of multiple marriages is prohibited, but polygamy remains prevalent in the predominantly Muslim republics of the North Caucasus. In these regions, religious weddings are often conducted without official registration, making it difficult to estimate the number of polygamous unions or pursue legal action against participants.

The Council’s ruling has provoked significant backlash. Nina Ostanina, chair of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women, and Children, criticised the decision as unconstitutional, arguing that it undermines gender equality and could exacerbate financial strain on families.

“There is an article of the Constitution which states that marriage is a union of a man and a woman – not of men and women, or of a man and women. If we allow polygamy, why not polyandry?” She said. “We have equality of men and women under the Constitution. Why this discrimination against women?

Ostanina also added that such unions could deprive children of resources and opportunities.