It is a scene of peaceful serenity. Rows of men kneel in deep prayer inside a large hall on the outskirts of Jakarta. The women sit just behind them, their heads bowed in quiet contemplation.
It could be afternoon prayers anywhere in Indonesia, a vast Muslim-majority archipelago, but this scene happens to be inside the sprawling headquarters of Jakarta's newest club - the "Global Ikhlwan" polygamy club.
Tucked away in a leafy suburb a few hours out of Jakarta, the club was set up in Indonesia earlier this year, but has its origins in Malaysia.
It says it has more than 1,000 members worldwide - as far away as Australia and the United States.
In Indonesia, the law allows men to marry more than one woman - but only under strict conditions, which makes the practice of polygamy less common here than in other Muslim nations.
But that could change if the controversial new polygamy club is a success.
Peaceful environment
The club has garnered a great deal of criticism since its inception. But in the hall, the only sounds you can hear that disrupt the quiet are the voices of young children filling the corridors. They are being taught to read Islamic scriptures, so that they can become pious Muslims from a young age.
There is also a small shop that sells Islamic and Halal food - even a production house which makes Islamic films.
But the main aim of the club is to promote the virtues of polygamy, as well as to support those who are struggling with their choices.
In one of the club's rooms, the director of the organisation, Dr Gina Puspita, speaks to a group of young women trying to help them get over their jealousies and insecurities.
Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8412496.stm
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