MARRIAGE IN ISLAM
Marriage in Islam is based on mutual peace, love, and compassion, and not just the mere satisfying of human sexual desire. Among the most notable verses in the Holy Qur‟an about marriage is the following: Allah Says in Holy Quran, 30:21 “And of His signs is: that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (See also 42:11 and 2:228)
The female has the right to accept or reject marriage proposals. According to the Islamic Law, women cannot be forced to marry anyone without their consent.
The husband is responsible for the maintenance, protection, and overall leadership of the family, within the framework of consultation (see the Holy Qur‟an 2:233) and kindness (see the Holy Qur‟an 4:19). The mutuality and complementary nature of the role of husband and wife does not mean subservience by either party to the other. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed Muslims regarding women: “I commend you to be good to women.” And “The best among you are those who are best to their wives.”
The Holy Qur‟an urges husbands to be kind and considerate to their wives, even if a wife falls out of favor with her husband or disinclination for her arises within him: Allah Says in Holy Quran: 4:19 “...And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike a thing and God makes therein much good”.
Should marital disputes arise, the Holy Qur‟an encourages couples to resolve them privately in a spirit of fairness and goodness. Indeed, the Holy Qur‟an outlines an enlightened step and wise approach for the husband and wife to resolve persistent conflict in their marital life. In the event that dispute cannot be resolved equitably between husband and wife, the Holy Qur‟an prescribes mediation between the parties through family intervention on behalf of both spouses (See the Holy Qur‟an 4:35).
Divorce is a last resort, According to Sunan Abu Dawood, and Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Among the permissible things, the most disliked in the sight of Allah is divorce”. Permissible but not encouraged, for the Holy Qur‟an esteems the preservation of faith and the individual‟s right -male and female alike- to felicity. Forms of marriage dissolution include an enactment based upon mutual agreement, the husband‟s initiative, the wife‟s initiative (if part of her marital contract), the court‟s decision on a wife‟s initiative (for a legitimate reason), and the wife‟s initiative without a cause, provided that she returns her marital gift to her husband. When the continuation of the marriage relationship is impossible for any reason, men are still taught to seek a gracious end for it. The Holy Qur‟an states about such cases, Allah Says in Holy Quran, 2:231: “And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term (i.e. waiting period), either keep them in kindness or release them in kindness, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress (against them).” (See also 2:229 and 33:49)
Associating polygyny with Islam, as if it was introduced by it or is the norm according to its teachings, is one of the most persistent myths perpetuated in Western literature and media. Polygyny existed in almost all nations and was even sanctioned by Judaism and Christianity until recent centuries. Islam did not outlaw polygyny, as did many peoples and religious communities; rather, it regulated and restricted it. It is not required but simply permitted with conditions (see the Holy Qur‟an 4:3). Spirit of law, including timing of revelation, is to deal with individual and collective contingencies that may arise from time to time (e.g. imbalances between the number of males and females created by wars) and to provide a moral, practical, and humane solution for the problems of widows and orphans.
Marriage in Islam is based on mutual peace, love, and compassion, and not just the mere satisfying of human sexual desire. Among the most notable verses in the Holy Qur‟an about marriage is the following: Allah Says in Holy Quran, 30:21 “And of His signs is: that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (See also 42:11 and 2:228)
The female has the right to accept or reject marriage proposals. According to the Islamic Law, women cannot be forced to marry anyone without their consent.
The husband is responsible for the maintenance, protection, and overall leadership of the family, within the framework of consultation (see the Holy Qur‟an 2:233) and kindness (see the Holy Qur‟an 4:19). The mutuality and complementary nature of the role of husband and wife does not mean subservience by either party to the other. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed Muslims regarding women: “I commend you to be good to women.” And “The best among you are those who are best to their wives.”
The Holy Qur‟an urges husbands to be kind and considerate to their wives, even if a wife falls out of favor with her husband or disinclination for her arises within him: Allah Says in Holy Quran: 4:19 “...And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike a thing and God makes therein much good”.
Should marital disputes arise, the Holy Qur‟an encourages couples to resolve them privately in a spirit of fairness and goodness. Indeed, the Holy Qur‟an outlines an enlightened step and wise approach for the husband and wife to resolve persistent conflict in their marital life. In the event that dispute cannot be resolved equitably between husband and wife, the Holy Qur‟an prescribes mediation between the parties through family intervention on behalf of both spouses (See the Holy Qur‟an 4:35).
Divorce is a last resort, According to Sunan Abu Dawood, and Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Among the permissible things, the most disliked in the sight of Allah is divorce”. Permissible but not encouraged, for the Holy Qur‟an esteems the preservation of faith and the individual‟s right -male and female alike- to felicity. Forms of marriage dissolution include an enactment based upon mutual agreement, the husband‟s initiative, the wife‟s initiative (if part of her marital contract), the court‟s decision on a wife‟s initiative (for a legitimate reason), and the wife‟s initiative without a cause, provided that she returns her marital gift to her husband. When the continuation of the marriage relationship is impossible for any reason, men are still taught to seek a gracious end for it. The Holy Qur‟an states about such cases, Allah Says in Holy Quran, 2:231: “And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term (i.e. waiting period), either keep them in kindness or release them in kindness, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress (against them).” (See also 2:229 and 33:49)
Associating polygyny with Islam, as if it was introduced by it or is the norm according to its teachings, is one of the most persistent myths perpetuated in Western literature and media. Polygyny existed in almost all nations and was even sanctioned by Judaism and Christianity until recent centuries. Islam did not outlaw polygyny, as did many peoples and religious communities; rather, it regulated and restricted it. It is not required but simply permitted with conditions (see the Holy Qur‟an 4:3). Spirit of law, including timing of revelation, is to deal with individual and collective contingencies that may arise from time to time (e.g. imbalances between the number of males and females created by wars) and to provide a moral, practical, and humane solution for the problems of widows and orphans.
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