SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE IN ISLAM

SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE IN ISLAM Made in Heaven T HE COMING together of a man and a woman in marriage is one of the most unique events in the universe. All the things created in the universe are created in pairs, but the compatibility that exists between a man and a woman cannot be found in any other created thing. When a man and a woman come together as partners for life, it is evident that they have been made for each other through a conscious plan. Marriage is not simply a social institution. In Islam, it has an importance far greater than this. According to the Islamic concept of life, God Almighty created an ideal world, Paradise. Paradise is a perfect and eternal world. God wants to select those women and men who may qualify to settle in this highly refined colony of Paradise. For the purpose of this selection or test, God provided men and women with free-will whilst settling them on Earth. Nature demands that men and women lead their lives together. The ideal way of leading such a life according to the Islamic law is within the bounds of marriage. In Islam, marriage is both a social contract entered into by mutual consent of the bride and groom, and a sacred bond to which great religious and social importance is attached. As an institution, it is a cohesive force in society, and worth protecting and preserving for that reason. To that end, detailed injunctions have been prescribed to maintain its stability and promote its betterment. However, in the knowledge that an excess of legal constraints can lead to rebellion, such injunctions have been kept to a realistic minimum and have been formulated to be consistent with normal human capabilities. Moreover, their enforcement is less relied upon, and importance is placed upon the religious conditioning of the individual to ensure the maintenance of high ethical standards and appropriate conduct in marital affairs and family life. It is said that the heart of the believer is the custodian of the law. The state of marriage not only lays the foundations for family life, but also provides a training ground for individuals to make a positive All the things created in the universe are created in pairs, but the compatibility that exists between a man and a woman cannot be found in any other created thing.