Muslim Women Organisation (MWO) has expressed concern over the increase of the number of Muslim women married to non-Muslims saying they are losing good Muslims who would have helped towards the development of Muslim community in Malawi.
“We are worried with what our sisters are doing but we cannot blame them because we know our brothers are responsible for this trend. They don’t propose them and rather they prefer to go for Christians. We have many beautiful and very kind Muslim women in our community who are still swimming in the ocean of singleness but they do not want to go for them,” said MWO chairlady, sister Fatima Ndaila.
But Sheikh Muhammad Uthman, the renowned Islamic marriage counselor at Islamic Information Bureau said the big problem is in the hands of women themselves as they don’t want to follow what Islam and prophet Muhamad (saw) teaches them.
“The problem lies in the hands of Muslim women themselves. Islam permitted a woman to express her interest if they meet a man of her desire. They can do this through different ways, whether by informing her parents or anybody she thinks can help to unite them. But you will see that only people of the book (Christians) who are following this law although they don’t know is a law. I am saying this according to my experience,” he said.
“Second reason is that Islam allowed polygamy but when you tell today’s Muslim girls, they talk a lot of things showing that they are not interested while if you can go to Christians, they will accept because what they want is to be at a good marriage and gain respect,” he continued.
“Thirdly, nowadays’ men like to sleep with a woman before getting marriage which cannot happen with well educated sisters while if you go to a Christian, she don’t mind that provided at the end of the day, she get married. Therefore, you can see there that there are some misunderstandings in our community but marriage of the same denomination is very important,” he concluded.
However, sister Aisha Katita shared the same views with the Sheikh, adding that some Muslim women are looking for the educated men that is why they are going for the Christians.
“Some how I can I agree with them [MWO], but you know what, the world is not the same as was 20 years ago. Things have changed. Nowadays girls go for educated men. We Muslims we are just developing now. I can tell you that only few Muslim guys are well educated. You will find that most of them are sheikhs. I am saying this according [to my] experience. I am a girl of 19yrs old. I had been with girls of different kinds and I had heard the conversation,” said sister Aisha Katita on our Facebook page.
While sister Atupele Makwinja had the following views: “I can agree with you partly but mind you, nowadays girls are going for those men who are rich, poor is also a contributing factor!
However, Brother Muhamad Jumuah said many women are involved in multiple relationships with a reason of looking for a serious one that it is why men are not proposing them.
“We are not proposing them because of their bahaviour. Amakhala ndi zibwenzi zambirimbiri [they do involved into multiple relationships] with the pretext that they want to choose one who is serious,” he said.
While brother Busta Torrington Mghae had these to say: “That is really true. But the issue is that Muslim women are too ambitious and they refuse our proposals, in so doing it seems like we don’t propose them.”
