Case study

UAE LOCAL FIXED MARRIAGE

INTRODUCTION

Marriage is a legal contract  between two persons.

The United Arab Emirates is a country where you can find different nationalities with different beliefs, religions, cultures and traditions. Living and working with multi nationals, Arabic men are starting to see the other world in the life of their colleagues. It is a different experience for them to see the other cultures and traditions. Making friends and even hanging out with other nationalities  sometimes leads them to marry a non- Muslim lady.

Emirates families believe that it is proper and best marriage for their son for them to keep their family tree to follow the Islamic way of marriage. Nowadays, Arabs are more open to the foreign traditions since they are interacting with multi-nationality workers and colleagues at work and in the community. Also the media influences these youngsters .

Some local youngsters nowadays prefer to marry their own choice of a potential wife by finding someone outside of their family or some prefer other nationalities which they know and met personally before, from a family friend, a colleague at work or from the college. They have a chance to see the lifestyle and behavior of that lady. And in some situations it will be easier for them to control and encourage the potential wife since they have a strong feeling and personal understanding due to acceptance and respect for each other from the beginning of the relationship.  With a lot of divorce cases here in the UAE, the problem starts when both families interfere which leads them to be annoyed in words or actions of the other family. And if she begins to make problem because of not getting what she demands her family will interfere and lead her to open a case against him or the worst thing is to divorce.

But some Arabic guys prefer to marry their own ladies as their family wants them to do. They prefer Arabic ladies, since they have the same belief, culture and tradition which is  strong family ties and a closed religion way of living which is an Islamic family lifestyle. They believe in following their parents wish to marry the lady they chose will let them have blessings from God or otherwise they will disappoint their family and it will be a big problem and bring shame to the family so they prefer to avoid this scenario. They are asking how the non-Muslim wife can teach the children about the Quran if she doesn't know anything about it. They say it will be easy for her to teach the children the Islamic religion and that they are following the local culture and tradition which they have learned and believe a good lifestyle . Having the same belief and tradition will be easier for the couples to share the challenge of life.

I therefore conclude that marrying an Arabic lady is better and more suitable for young local guy like me because of the common culture and tradition we have. I find it more comfortable and appropriate than marrying a stranger. I see my family tradition, beliefs and culture as a strong successful proof of arranged marriage that I want to share and teach to my children in the future. My parents are the best example of the Islamic lifestyle of living which I aspire to have for my happy married life.