31/07/2013

PRESS RELEASE: IN ISLAM FORCED MARRIAGES IS TERRORISM

The Nigerian community is heated up in debate on child marriage. Such debate is a welcome event so long as it is cordial and carried out toward positive ends with mutual respect, cordiality and understanding. Much of the constitutional matter discussed is largely outside of Muslims Against Terror’s fields of operation, however at this point and tagging on the awareness on the matter of love and relationship, it is our duty to use this medium to discourage terrorism of the worlds youth as forced marriage is a global problem with one such reported event headlined on CNN today.

Forced marriage is terrorism

Islam strictly does not permit the forcing of our children into marriage for financial or social purposes.

The Noble Quran says what means:

http://quran.com/17/31

Quran 17:31 And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.

Allah(S) owns all provision and He has promised us that He will provide us to take care of our children. The Quran did not tell us to sell them either. It clearly promises that if we trust our Lord, He will provide. Maybe selling our female children out of poverty and throwing away our male children as almajiri is what has made Allah(S) punish us in the north with poverty and terrorism. Allahu Alim (Allah knows best).

This terrorism must end now. Do not sell your children and do not discard them. We encourage the community courts to be more involved in the adjudication processes before and after marriages and in the issue of child abandonment. No child must ever be forced and our daughters and sons must know their unalienable right to annul and seek divorce in the event of a non working relationship. Abandoned children should also be able to go to the law for protection. One Mualim can not raise hundreds of children. Islam strongly discourages begging.

The blessed prophet of Islam is noted to have said: Whoso opened unto himself the door of begging, God will open unto him the door of poverty.

We as a society and the older in the society must support and protect the weaker.

The prophet of Islam completely rejected forced marriages:

Khansa Bint Khidam said “My father married me to his nephew, and I did not like this match, so I complained to the Messenger of Allah (May Allah bless him and grant him peace). He said to me “accept what your father has arranged.” I said “I do not wish to accept what my father has arranged.”He said “then this marriage is invalid, go and marry whomever you wish.” I said “I have accepted what my father has arranged, but I wanted women to know that fathers have no right in their daughter’s matters (i.e. they have no right to force a marriage on them). (Fathul Bari Sharah Al Bukhari 9/194, Ibn Majah Kitabun Nikah 1/602)

In other accounts:

Aa’ishah reported that a girl came to her and said, “My father married me to his brother’s son in order to raise his social standing, and I did not want this marriage [I was forced into it].” ?Aa’ishah said, “Sit here until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) comes. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came and she told him about the girl. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent for her father, then he gave the girl the choice of what to do. She said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I have accepted what my father did, but I wanted to prove something to other women.” (Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 3217).

Volume 7, Book 62, Number 67: Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet said, “A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! How can we know her permission?” He said, “Her silence (indicates her permission).”

Of the four reasons to marry, according to this next Hadeeth, religion is the priority and not wealth or even beauty:

“A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, for her family status, for her beauty and for her religion. So choose the woman who is religious.”  – Al-Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah

The Quran, Islams most superior source of jurisprudence reproaches the forced marriage/inheritance of women:

http://quran.com/4/19

Quran 4.19: O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them – perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.

This is the position of Islam. Whoever wishes to deviate outside of what Islam recommends, he takes upon himself the consequences of his actions, and if we as a society and if our social leaders purposefully deviate from Islam’s commands, then we as a society will inherit the consequences of our actions in terrorism of our youth. All marriages must only be conducted with full and unpressurized consent.

Allah the most high forbids the act of forced marriage, so therefore this act is a sin and against God’s true teachings.

And Allah Knows Best!

Salam

Issa Ibrahim

brother@muslimag.com

PRO/Media

http://MuslimsAgainstTerror.com