There is an ongoing crisis in this country among the Muslim community that needs to be tackled right away— the marriage crisis. Both the married and unmarried individuals are facing a multitude of challenges related to marriage and its intricacies.
Healthy families form a healthy society. They act as the building blocks of a nation. When families fall apart, society tends to succumb to corruption, and evil. It is imperative to remediate this crisis immediately.
iMuslimah, a sister’s activity committee of Dar-us-Salaam came up with an initiative to conduct a series of lectures on the importance of marriage. Although the topic has been spoken about for years, this time, we aim to dig deeper to understand the root causes of the marriage crisis, and how to tackle them.
“I Don’t See the Point of Marriage” – The Youth
Many Muslims of the current generation don’t see the point of marriage. Some glorify staying single forever, while others engage in zina. None of it leads to a good outcome.
“The most important word in a marriage is ‘we’, while the least important word in a marriage is ‘I’,” says Imam Safi Khan, our speaker for the upcoming lecture ‘Why Marry? Marriage in Islam’. More than ever before, we as a society have become more self-centered, and hyper-individualistic.
This has led to a monumental change in how we view marriage. If one can be happy on their own, and can provide for themselves, they begin questioning the need for marriage.
Married Couples Struggle to Stay Afloat
On the other hand, married couples struggle with lack of companionship, towering ego issues, and fail to find peace and contentment with each other. “The most crucial thing to do in a marriage is to listen. It is crucial to ask ‘How do you feel?’ ‘What do you think?’ Complimenting each other is of utmost necessity, because it shows that the spouses honor each other and appreciate each other,” reminds Imam Safi Khan.
Marriage is about offering companionship, and conversing on a daily basis with affection and kindness. It is about two people coming together as ‘we’ and ‘us’. As life goes on, many of us tend to forget why we married each other in the first place. It is time to remind ourselves the why’s, and that will lead to knowing the how’s of making our marital relationships last forever.
Multiple Facets of Marriage Crisis
As married couples struggle to remember why they married, and the unmarried ones question why they should marry, there are others who struggle to find potential spouses who are like-minded. As a whole, the Muslim community is facing serious issues in multiple facets of marriage.
Let us gather to resolve these issues, and find happiness and tranquility in marriages. After all, Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala promised us just that in the Qur’an:
“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” [30:21]
So, which of the favors of our Lord would we deny or take for granted? Let us take the time to reflect, and work on preserving this beautiful gift!
Why Marry? Marriage in Islam Part 1 by Imam Safi Khan is an upcoming lecture happening on the 17th of September. This event is open to brothers and sisters. All you have to do is bring an open heart, and a dish to enjoy (this is a potluck lunch). Join us at Dar-us-Salaam, 5301 Edgewood Road, College Park, Maryland.
