‘Love marriages not against Islam’

By Abid Butt

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court takes up at least one to two love-marriage cases as a matter of daily routine. In all such cases it has adopted a unanimous stance that marriage between two adults was their right, no matter if this brings them into conflict with society.

The learned judges have referred to various injunctions from the holy Quran and the Sunnah and inferred that the consent of a Wali (guardian) was not mandatory for a marriage contract between two adults.

Daily Times spoke to various religious scholars, lawyers, social workers and parents to seek their views on the issue of love-marriage.

Maulana Sarfraz Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia said Islam does not permit parents to marry their children against their wishes but the courts should also probe that the couple is not motivated by considerations like greed or moral depravation. He said both parents and children should not transgress limits set by the religion.

He said parents should not make their children’s marriage an ego matter. He said the couple’s consent was necessary before marriage, adding it was not the right time to seek their consent at the time of nikkah.

Maulana Sajid Naqvi said a marriage contract against parents’ wish could not be declared null or void. He cited the decaying family system as the reason for increase in love marriages.

Jama’at ud Daawa leader Amir Hamza said that there is no room for coercion in Islam.

He said the majority of parents want their kids well-being. He said parents are in better position to deicide their children’s future but still they cannot impose their decision on their children.

He said if young girls find themselves in conflict with their parents over the marriage issue, they should approach court.

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