| Given the importance
of family in Islam, marriage also plays a central role,
both socially and spiritually. According to an oft-quoted
Muslim saying, “Marriage is half of religion,”
a Muslim’s faith is viewed as incomplete until he
or she is married.
|
The women shop for
a wedding gift for a friend who has recently
immigrated from Iraq. But Fordous Kareen
(left), Hiyam Fathel and Thankaah Ali do
not buy the jewelry themselves. Instead,
they report their findings to the bride’s
husband-to-be, according to custom, so he
can make the purchase. Showing the jewelry
to the women is Ali Elsayed at his shop
in Dearborn, Mich. (Courtesy of the Detroit
Free Press)
|
|
Dating, at least in the Western sense, is not permitted
in Islam. Men and women are not allowed to be alone together,
and any physical contact before marriage is forbidden. Prospective
couples can, however, meet with chaperones. As a result,
many marriages in the Muslim world were traditionally arranged
marriages, though this is not a religious requirement. Today,
in many Muslim countries, many marriages are still arranged
by the families of the bride and groom. This is no longer
the norm in countries like the United States, where young
people are more likely to select a prospective mate through
supervised courting.
According to Islamic law, neither a man nor a woman can
be forced to accept an arranged marriage. Each has the explicit
religious right to veto the union. Marriage, however, is
one area where cultural traditions supercede religious ones
in some parts of the Muslim world, leading to violations
of this and other rules.
(See also Women
and Islam - Rights and Roles - Marital Rights in The Quran) |
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