Bauchi State Chapter of Muslim Women Islamic Association, popularly known as Sisters of Jannah Bauchi State Chapter has expressed concern over the high rate of divorce among Muslim couples in Northern Nigeria.
Sisters of Jannah, expressed their displeasure over the issue recently at the 2nd Ramadan Lecture organised by the association at Bauchi Central Mosque Conference hall with the topic: “Issue of Divorce in Muslims homes /rights of neighbors. The lectures on the topics were delivered by Islamic scholars, Mallam Muhammad Suhailu Lawal and Malama Khadija Ahmed. In their separate submissions, the scholars lamented that most parents usually ignore the instructions of the Holy Quran when giving their children out in marriage.
”The implication is that if we don’t follow the Islamic regulation by offering prayers to Allah for guidance and following the Islamic teaching, there will be domestic problems”.
”This teaching is for the women and men to know their duties and rights and for the wife to know her duty and rights. Those rules are to bring harmony in our homes.”
The scholars said that though divorce was detestable, it was permitted in Islam.
”As a Muslim, you must ensure that your home is an Islamic home, a home where you recite the Quran, a home where you take turns to gather the children and teach them the word of Allah. You teach them the words of the prophets and not just allow them to fully have western education but add Islamic education to it as this will guarantee your children will be pious Muslims,” Mallama Khadija said.
“Allah loves a house in which a wedding is held and hates a house in which a divorce is conducted and there is nothing more hateful than divorce,” she pointed out.
She identified agents of divorce as indifference of spouses towards one other and apathy and lack of passion in fulfillment of the sexual needs of one another, misconduct, discourteousness, carping, picking quarrels, and stubbornness in a husband, wife, or both, and behavior incompatibility of spouses.
The cleric advises couples against selfishness, egocentricity, autocracy, and recalcitrance, and advocates tolerance, forgiveness, and resolving differences with reason, fairness and affection.
On his part, Mallam Suhailu Said tolerance, forgiveness, and these qualities shown to neighbors are a demonstration of the moral values and virtues inbuilt into the worship of the one God—Allah and advised neighbors to be kind, help and offer gift to the neighbors.
“Offer your neighbor a ride if you see them walking to the grocery store. Make chicken soup or buy home-made medicines like fever, common cold for them;, If you meet a new neighbor while they are moving in, greet them with a smile and bring them refreshments.
Give them a quick run-through of the area in general, where things are located, and what can they expect from the community. If a former neighbor is moving out, then help them with packing, cleaning, and bring them dinner or lunch. When you make something, send some over to your neighbor. Buy an extra box of something useful and give it to your neighbor.
“O Muslim women! No one of you should consider insignificant (a gift) to give to her neighbor even if it is (a gift of) the trotters of a sheep”
The patron of the association, Hajiya Maryam Garba Bagel said the aim of the association was to promote Islam among Muslims across the country and advised couples not to be self centered but to be fair and just in order to build a good marital home for the good of all.
