Question:
salamu alaikum,
I heard Sh Hisham is instructing us to marry girls at age 16-17.
1) Why does our Tariqa encourage this young age for marriage (often not even legal)? Hajjah said once men prefer women before age 20; is that why?
2) This instruction will likely deprive women from pursuing education, which is contrary to conventional Islamic/modern thinking which encourages education for girls;is that fair for the girls especially those without protective families?
3) For those of us who joined Tariqa as adults (over 25), have no families to marry us, and the only Muslim men we know are through Tariqa—the instruction of marrying teen girls makes it difficult for us to get married because Tariqa brothers want younger girls, are matched up with teenagers, or are already married young. Aside from making du’a, how do you expect us women over 30 to get married?
Thanks, salams
Answer:
`Alaykum Salam,
You are confusing marriage (nikah) with cohabitation. Early nikah can take place years before cohabitation. It is arranged by devoted parents as a protection against lust but the married couple remain with their respective parents until they are ready to live together. Until then they complete their normal course of education. Even after cohabitation they may opt to live with one of the two parent families for support. However, most Tariqa brothers and sisters marry their matches in age.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
