Re: Shariah law of marriage

I reply to Azumazi March 26

You are quite mistaken in thinking that Christian marriage and Muslim
marriage do not differ significantly on the moral plane, and that
legally and theologically there are more similarities between them
than differences.

Muslim marriage is fundamentally a contract between a man and a woman
by which the woman gives the man rights over her private parts in
return for a sum of money; it is stipulated how long the contract will
last, but nowadays the stipulation is  usually 99 years, which means,
in effect, life. From this it follows that a woman must offer herself
to the man whenever he requires it.

Christian marriage is also a contract - for life - but the essential
point is that, classically, marriage is a sacrament, that is a channel
of God's grace or favour: the pair promise to LOVE one another. The
become 'one flesh'; that is they love and care for one another as they
love and care for their own bodies.

Christianity in its orthodox forms does not permit divorce and the
couple promise to stand by one another whatever misfortunes befall
them. Islam, of course, permits the man (but not the woman) to divorce
his wife for any reason or none. Thus the wife has no security.

Christian marriage is monogamous, but a Muslim may have as many wives
as he wishes, only not more than four at any one time.

A Muslim student of mine - a mature woman - once observed to me:
"Marriage isn't the same with us as it is with you: the woman looks
after the home and the children; the man spends his time bringing in
the money." She was regretful; it was clear that by her account Muslim
marriage is essentially a practical arrangement.