Re: “Murder at Jamal Street” [Archives:2004/758/Letters to the Editor]

Roaa Bahran
[email protected]
Mr. Al-Sofi has raised an excellent issue for discussion. Why does a 30 yr old women not qualify as being a wife anymore in our society? Our Prophet Mohamed “May peace be upon him” married his first wife when she was 40 years old. This man is our true idol whom we should all look up to, but unfortunately we only tend to take what we like from our religion and disregard everything else.
It is about time that our society gets rid of its ridiculous traditions and wakes up. A 16 yr old girl still needs to enjoy her childhood for a couple more years. An older woman is not only more physically and mentally mature for marriage, but will also have more experience in life to better manage her married life and her husband's everyday affairs.
Another important issue to discuss here is the depression and hopelessness that single women feel when they grow older and society no longer sees them as suitable for marriage. This also goes for women who have had bad experiences with marriage and are divorced.
I strongly disagree with Mr. Al-Sofi in this issue. Multiple marriages are not the solution in this case. Just because a woman is a little older, she shouldn't have to lower her standards and accept a married man.
Instead of planting the idea of marriage into these women's heads we should give them other options in life. If people do not accept them as married women then they can still find fulfillment from life by other means. They can work, volunteer, and play a vital role in their communities. After all, our country will never develop if half of its population are either house wives imprisoned in homes, or single women crying over the issue of not finding a husband.
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