Coming from a typical Zongo community like mine where weddings are held almost every week, you’ll see wedding ceremonies and parties at almost every junction you turn, every corner you pass, every street you drive through and the list is endless.
Ever wondered why individuals within the Zongo community marry so early in life? Well most of our Muslim parents believe that when a young woman gets married early, she doesn’t grow to be promiscuous. She is seen and regarded as a woman of virtue and a source of family and societal pride.
Similarly, Muslims believe that when a young woman gets married early, it protects her against giving birth out of wedlock, an abominable sin by virtue of Islamic law. Some Islamic schools of thought (majority) say any child born out of wedlock shall not inherit anything from his father upon the latter’s demise, although the father, in this circumstance, can give some of his property or asset to his “illegitimate” child before passing on to the other world. It goes on to explain that the child, in any circumstance, shall inherit property or assets from his mother. But that child can inherit from his father only if the “Ulamaa” (Islamic scholars) and his legitimate siblings agree to give him a portion of the father’s inheritance.
Another school of thought (minority) says that, if the father of the child accepts responsibility of the child, then that child will inherit from him, but that is a weak argument by Islamic Law.
Therefore, inheritance between father and son is conditional to legal marriage between the parents, although there are two other circumstances where this legal right of inheritance between father and son becomes null and void. These are: Difference is religion (faith) and when the death of the father is caused by the son or vice versa, particularly with the motive of inheritance.
Another school of thought explains that, a child born out of wedlock will not inherit anything from his father because the Islamic law that allows a child to inherit his father’s property states that, the parents must be married before the child is conceived. So if that child was conceived out of wedlock, that alone is enough to prevent him from inheriting the father.
Regarding the issue of difference in religion the Islamic law states that, when there is a difference in religion between any of the parents and the child, the right of inheritance between the parents and the child becomes null and void.
But Islam does not deny the child the right of becoming a leader within the Islamic community, since it’s not his fault that his parents conceived him before marriage. The motive behind Islam’s stand in the issue of inheritance is to deter Muslims against fornication due to its socioeconomic repercussions. It is also to help promote a healthy society through the building of healthy family.
In view of the above, we can now understand the main reasons why Muslim parents are particularly keen about getting their female children married early soon after reaching puberty – i.e. to ensure that their grandchild’s legitimacy and legibility to inheriting the father won’t be questioned. It is also the save the child, the parent and the family, in general, from suffering emotional humiliation and permanent social scar.
But then you see young women below your age becoming wives and mothers. As a Muslim woman, you are left with a million dollar question. When is it going to be my turn? Where did I go wrong? What is actually wrong with me as a person?
Furthermore, your peers start asking questions like when is it going to be your turn? You get worried with all these questions that you suddenly become so willing and ready to get married to the next suitor who appears at your doorstep proposing marriage, or you get yourself involved in a relationship that you believe will get you married any time soon.
Life is a journey of patience. Our creator and Lord has made life very easier for us to see everywhere around us. Just begin by looking at your fingers and you’ll see that they are not equal although they are in one hand. Life gives us a fair chance although it may come at different times and places. But it’s our responsibility to seize our chance when it knocks on our door. It’s therefore necessary to look at life at the positive side because positivity helps breed a lot of good things.
As a young woman, if the real opportunity of getting married failed to come early, on the one side, it offers you a chance to improve yourself on the other hand. Self improvement in this world of tough competition is a very good start, not only for a young woman but also for a young man.
follow @BilkisNuhu on twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment