FRAUDULENT NIKĀH

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori 

The increasing rate of fraudulent marriages conducted based on deception in our society is highly disturbing. Marriage is only for those who are sure of their capabilities. Deceiving women into marriage and looking for some flimsy excuses to divorce them shortly after consumation is a great evil that is fast becoming the order of the day. Some of us know what is going by virtue our professional calling and if we fail to raise an alarm about it, sisters will continue to fall victim and Allāh will question us. 

We also have sisters or daughters and we pray they should not fall in the hands of men who conduct fraudulent nikāh with the intention of backing out on some flimsy grounds, such as lack of sexual satisfaction or some economic issues. I have presided over several cases and my fear about this matter keep increasing. 

The bulk of those found upon this dangerous game are young men (many of whom are not even up to 30) seeking to practice polygyny shortly after their first marriage. It is like a competition going on. Why not wait for the right time? Some brothers know deep down their minds that they are not financially capable, yet they rush to add more wives with lies. The obsession is really getting too much. And once they are done with a sister, they move to another sister. How will a man divorce his subsequent wife on the ground that she is not in a cordial relationship with his first wife?  To a large extent, the cordial relationship between co-wives in a polygyny depends on the husband. 

A woman is not like food that a man can just taste and say he is not eating again. Marital bond is sacred. That is why a man must be be prepared by fulfilling all conditions and take all necessary steps to marry a woman of his choice.

Enough is enough! 

I remember warning sisters at the last seminar we had at OOUTH. Stop accepting marriage proposals without carrying your parents, teachers and mentors along. Don't think you can do it alone. If anything happens later, the greater part of the burden will be on you. 

Generally, parents/guardians and scholars should endeavor to supervise their children and wards and students (male or females) spousal recruitment process. No matter how much education you give your children, if their spousal recruitment process is not well supervised according to sharī'ah, they may fall into some avoidable marital trials that can render their level of education useless.

COMING SOON!