Ahmed Al Sheeb
DOHA: A prominent member of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) has urged the Family Consulting Centre (FCC) to set up marriage bureaus at the branches the centre plans to open in different areas of the country so young Qatari men and women could marry.
Although married and with children, Ahmed Al Sheeb said if such bureaus are opened up he would be the first one to seek their help to marry a divorcee to encourage young fellow Qataris to follow suit.
“We have large numbers of divorced women in our community and one way to rehabilitate them through remarriage is that young Qataris come forward and seek their hands.”
Asked why he would like to have a second wife when he is already married and even has sons and daughters, Al Sheeb said: “To set an example for our youths so they emulate in the larger interest of society”.
When told that his comment could create an unwanted controversy and irk his family, an unruffled Al Sheeb said he was serious as he considered marriage would be a good precedent for society.
Al Sheeb told this newspaper yesterday that marriage bureaus were the need of the day as they could collect requests from men and women wanting to marry.
“The bureaus could create a database and based on the criteria specified by applicants as to what kind of spouses they would prefer and could prove effective in match-making.”
People wanting to marry are wasting their time relying on the Internet which isn’t really helpful, said the CMC member.
Traditional ways of arranging marriages in the country aren’t very effective either. Marriage bureaus could treat people’s personal data and preferences for spouses as strictly confidential so people would trust them. “If such a bureau is set up I will be the first one to apply,” reiterated Al Sheeb.
On Tuesday, the director-general of the FCC, Rashid bin Ahmed Al Dosri, was invited to the CMC’s routine weekly session.
He said the divorce rate in the Qatari community was 36 percent, but added that the percentage was normal because some men took their divorced wives back.
According to Islam, when a husband divorces his wife the third time, it is final. So the divorce rate of 36 percent does not reflect the actual figure, insisted Al Dosri.
He told the CMC that the FCC had plans to set up branches in several parts of the country, including Al Rayan, Al Shamal, Al Wakra and Al Dhakheera. “We have already set up a branch in Al Khor”.
In the CMC itself, Al Sheeb, commenting after Al Dosri’s presentation, urged him to let the branch offices of the FCC in remote areas double as marriage bureaus.
Asked by this newspaper as to why Al Dosri was invited to the CMC, Al Sheeb said the youths in the Qatari community were particularly not aware of its role in keeping the social institution of marriage intact. “So the aim was to let them know that marriage and family counselling facilities do exist in our midst and we should take advantage.”
Talking about the high divorce rate in the community, Al Sheeb said that a major problem was that most Qatari women were highly educated and in jobs and businesses and so making a lot of money.
“Women are becoming increasingly independent financially while men want them to pay attention to their homes as well. The fact, though, is that Qatari homes are now being solely taken care of by maids. That’s leading to marital problems.”
