By
Md. Hussain Ahmed
24 Nov 2020
“A
believing (Muslim) slave girl is better than a (free) polytheist woman who
associates partners with God, even though she pleases and attracts you.” Quran (2:221)
The Saffron
Brigade mischievously coined ‘Love Jihad’ to create an illusion in the minds of
people that Islam is encouraging its adherents to marry Hindu women as some
form of “Jihad”! Is there any truth?
The
preposterous term “Love Jihad” flabbergast not only Muslims but all sensible
people of other faiths. Such absurd terms elicit feelings of amusement, pity
and helplessness - all at the same time. It was common for educated Muslims to
laugh earlier at such flummox ideas as “idiotic” and move on maintaining a
dignified silence.
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Also Read:
Interfaith Marriage: The Dilemma of Inequality In Religion
Facing Muslim Female In Modern World
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However,
the absurd idea of ‘Love-Jihad’, if legislated, as the state governments of MP,
UP and Haryana are currently planning, will become a tool for the persecution
of not only Muslim men marrying Hindu women but their families as well. Thus,
it becomes necessary to present the facts to clear fallacies deliberately
peddled about Islam. Islam does not encourage marriages with polytheist women.
Love and
Jihad! These two things are inherently contradictory to say the least. The
modern idea of ‘love’ is euphemism for promiscuity, free mixing of opposite
sexes, lust, adultery and even live-in relationships. Jihad on the other hand is
a sacred struggle against the evil inclinations of the human soul including the
longing for promiscuity that is the crux of the so-called ‘love’ in this era.
Jihad in
Islam:
Jihad is an
Arabic term which literally means striving or struggling with a spiritual goal
to cleanse the soul. In Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to
make personal and social life conform with God’s guidance. It is a struggle to
prevail over evil desires and inclinations to cleanse the soul to attain higher
spirituality.
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Islam sees
unchecked human desires as a big hindrance in the path of spiritual growth and
development. In Sufi and pious circles, spiritual and moral Jihad has been
termed as ‘greater Jihad’. The ‘Jihad’ is waged, as Quran says, against “the
human soul which is ever inclined to evil” (12:53). It further says: “Successful
indeed is the one who purifies the soul; and doomed is the one who corrupts
it!” (91:9-10)
The
instinct to love opposite sex is meant to fulfil God’s higher purpose in
ensuring continuity of human race through procreation. Islam allows the
powerful emotion of love between a man and woman to get fully manifested only
in the form of lawful wedlock that could lead to the birth of their
descendants.
Marriages
between Muslim men and Hindu women are the result of free mixing of opposite
sexes in educational institutions and work places. Islam discourages such
free-mixing of opposite sexes in view of the likely moral degradation it can
lead to. A Hadeeth of the Prophet says: “No man is alone with a woman but the
‘devil’ will be the third one.”
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Quran
cautions believers: “And do not come near adultery, it is a shameful deed and
an evil, and opening the road to other evils” (17:32). Similarly, amongst other
traits, Quran expounds of those who get salvation is: “… And those who guard
their chastity (against illegal sexual acts)” (70:29).
Islam warns
against adultery: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and protect
their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily,
Allah is aware of what they do” (24:30).
Youngsters
are encouraged for early marriage lest they succumb to evil sexual desires and
promiscuity. The Prophet of Islam said: “O young people! Whoever among you can
marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty
(i.e., from committing illegal sex), and whoever is not able to marry, should
fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual urge.”
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Also Read:
Why Hindu Women (And Men) Should Oppose the ‘Love Jihad’ Law
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Severe
punishment is stipulated in Islamic Law for those indulging in adultery: “To
the woman and the man guilty of illegal sexual relationship, flog each of them
with one hundred stripes; let not compassion withhold you in their case, in a
matter of punishment prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last
Day and let a party of the believers witness their punishment” (24:2).
Islam
regards promiscuous behaviour of men and women as moral corruption. It says: “Corrupt
women are for corrupt men, and corrupt men are for corrupt women. Pure women
are for pure men, and pure men are for pure women” (24:26).
There is
guidance to Muslims in every sphere of life including marriage. A Hadith of the
Prophet says: “A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage,
her beauty and her religious commitment. Seek the one who is religiously
committed, (so) you may prosper.”
Thus
guidelines are clearly given to the Muslim men to seek religiously devout
Muslim women for marriage preferring them over other Muslim women of wealth,
high lineage and beauty. In the broader scheme of familial relations, Islam
foresees a great future role for a married woman, i.e., to educate her progeny
with her sound knowledge of faith and inculcate in them high values of Islam.
This purpose cannot be attained unless the woman is a devout Muslim herself
with a sound knowledge of Islam.
When Muslim
women of wealth, high lineage or beauty are not preferred in comparison to a
devout Muslim woman, how, then, anyone can think that Islam would approve of a
Muslim man’s marriage with a non-Muslim woman! So, the less said about the
idiotic idea of a ‘Love Jihad’ the better.
Islam has
nothing to do with inter-faith marriages. It never ever encourages such
marriages. However, it is the secular Indian polity which grants freedom to
Indians – men and women – to chose their life partners as they wish. But Islam
has nothing to do with inter-faith marriages that take place across India.
It is
pertinent here to note prudence of Islam in insisting upon the approval of the
woman’s father or her guardian in order for marriage to be deemed valid.
Without such approval, the marriage would not be valid. We have seen the dire
consequences of ‘love marriages’ that take place without the consent of the
woman’s parents. Such marriages are fraught with grim repercussions resulting in
the crime of ‘honour killing’ of one or both the parties. It can also lead to
insurmountable social complications due to the different religious backgrounds.
Hence the
Islamic idea of marriage is more or less an ‘arranged’ affair – even when man
and woman had previous acquaintance and liking for each other but the marriage
take place with the approval of both the families. Intense love between a man
and woman, as per Islam, must develop after the marriage. Islam had a great
many examples of how such a love between a man and his wife can become
legendry. Taj Mahal is a living example of such an intense love of a man for
his wife.
Marrying a
woman of a different faith always requires an intense pre-marriage emotional
involvement which is contrary to the teachings of Islam. And any intense
pre-marital love between a man and woman is fraught with perils, heartbreak,
disaster and tragedy. The legendary love-tales of ‘Laila Majnu’, ‘Shirin
Farhad’, ‘Heer Ranjha’ all amply demonstrate the destructive consequences of
such a perilous love.
Islam’s
insistence on obtaining girl’s parental approval can save men from such
dangerous consequences. If there is an insurmountable hurdle in the way of such
parental approval, then a true Muslim takes that hurdle as God’s will and move
on in life by submitting to His injunction: “Perhaps you hate something and
it is good for you; and you may love something and it is bad for you. And Allah
knows, while you know not” (Quran 2:216).
The
aforesaid Quranic quotes and Hadees amply clarify Islam’s stand vis-à-vis a
Muslim’s marriage to a non-Muslim woman. Frankly speaking, Islam does not
encourage Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women.
Can any
person with a sound mind still peddle the idea of ‘Love Jihad’ and accuse Islam
of encouraging Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women?!
Original
Headline: Love-Jihad: Does Islam
approves Muslim men marrying polythiest women?
Source: The Milli Gazette
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/love-jihad-laws-islamic-obscurantists/d/124215
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