Pathway to Paradise — Page 49
PATH WAY TO PARADISE 49 MATE SELECTION AND ARRANGED MARRIAGES One of the key factors in building a good marriage is, of course, the selection of the right person with whom to spend the rest of your life. Here again, Islam provides guidance. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: “Some people marry for beauty, others for rank, and others for wealth; but you should marry a good and pious woman. ” Piety, or moral goodness, is the most important quality to be sought in a potential mate. If you and your partner have righteousness, you will approach all aspects of marriage in a God - fearing way and will try to make a success of things. Other factors to be taken into consideration in mate selection are family background, age, education and interests. Prayer is also an essential tool for deciding on a prospective mate. Muslims are taught the Istikhara Prayer to seek Allah’s guidance in making this importan t decision. (See Muslim Prayer Book, p. 34) With these injunctions in mind, marriages amongst Muslims are usually arranged, with the consent of both boy and girl. Parents or guardians arrange the marriages of their children once they reach a suitable age and level of maturity. If you have grown up i n Western society, you may find this idea difficult to accept at first. But this method of mate selection has been practiced for hundreds of years and really does produce more stable and happy marriages. A comparison of divorce rates between Western