DOHA: At least two prominent Muslim clerics have blamed the increasing rate of divorce in Qatari society to people overlooking Islamic tenets (Shariah).
It is important that the man and woman see each other before marriage in the presence of a male guardian such as a relative of the latter, said a cleric.
Ahmed Al Buanain said these days people usually do not follow the above principle of Shariah. Now women venture out to work and study, so men can see them anywhere.
But the Islamic way is that the man sees the woman in the presence of a male relative of the woman — the father, elder brother or an uncle.
“The woman can show her face and hands to a man if his intention is marriage,” said the cleric in remarks published in local Arabic daily Al Watan yesterday.
Naturally, most victims of divorce are women. Normally, their expectations from marriage are not met. Then, there are some marriages that happen quickly so there is not enough time for the man and the woman to know each other.
Cleric Sheikh Ali Al Umri said how Qatari children are being raised has an impact on their understanding of Shariah.
They are mainly left to the care of maids, he said.
The other reason for the high rate of divorce in the Qatari community is that many youth get married merely to make their parents happy.
The Peninsula
