The concept of marriage in Islam contains the element of sacredness. It is a pious and trustworthy relationship allowing the couple to enjoy a happy and blissful life in legitimate bounds. The main themes behind marriage are the love, understanding, care, trust and support to each other. The Nikah is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The marriage secures a couple from indulging into sensual activities with the other people illegally. This is a completely natural phenomenon and Islam has presented us with a logical solution to the problem by entering the two people in the blessed knot of Nikah.
There are different types of marriages prevailing in the society like arranged, secret and love marriages and Islam being the complete code of life has different views about each of these marriage types. Let us discuss the Islamic views about each of them.
Arranged Marriage
Arranged marriage involves the understanding of the parents of an anticipated couple. According to most of the people this is the most suitable type of marital relationship. During the arranged marriage, the couple is asked for the permission of Nikah without any external pressure. Islam stresses upon the parents to seek for the permission from their daughter to be married. Islam rejects any kind of pressure or emotional blackmailing.
Islam stresses upon the parents to find the perfect match for their children. The parents looking for the arranged marriage for their children have the responsibility to help them understand each other. Arranged marriage does not necessarily mean the marriage within the family or clan. Basically in Islam, there are no restrictions on out of family marriage. Muslims are allowed to strengthen their bonds through the marriage of their kids with their acceptance as well.
The parents have the obligation to enquire about the person with whom they are willing to engage their daughter. They must ask from neutral people to give their view about the particular person. It will secure the life of their daughter and Allah will bless them for choosing the most suitable partner for their children while fulfilling a sacred Sunnah.
Forced Marriages
Forced marriage is never advocated by Islam. Islam strongly rejects the concept of such marriage based on the exclusive interests of the parents rather than the couple. Such marriages according to Islam do not bear the desired fruit and ultimately the couple has to suffer. In order to keep safe people from forced marriage, Islam has asked the parents to seek the permission from their children. If the children are not willing then the parents have go no right to impose their dominant position over their children to get married.
Islam holds responsible both the parents and the members of the community who allowed them to use force against their children’s will. All the people involved in increasing the pressure for the marriage should fear ALLAH ALMIGHTY for pressurizing on such an important matter of a person’s entire life. In case the major ends up at failure, the element of regret and guilt for the parents gets multifold.
Love Marriages
Islam does not reject the concept of love marriage as far as it is based on the true and pure mutual understanding. Islam does not allow any kind of physical relationship before marriage. Islam does not allow the buildup of such relationship between a man and a woman out of bond of marriage – a legal contract. Still, due to any reason or cultural influences, if two people from the opposite gender are attracted to each other, then there is no best relationship but Nikah. Nikah will allow them to live together and there will be no fear of a potentially careless physical approach.
Secret Marriages
Secret marriages are never encouraged in Islam as it declares marriage as a sacred bond and strengthens this declaration by Nikah and Walima. However, still in Islamic societies secret marriages do take place. If the secret marriage is the result of some unlawful intensions from the couple, then they are strongly opposed in Islam. Such marriages disturb the whole structure of a family of the both families. In this case, the couple is held responsible. Islam stresses upon its followers to ask for the permission from the parents. If the parents are not willing then try to convince them if you think that you are following the Islamic teachings. Keeping the marriage secret is not an option in Islam.
It all depends upon a particular condition and social setup. Still the arranged marriage is the ideal type of marriage in Islam.
