Alluding to the importance of marriage in Islam and Islamic culture, Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunnah in Zahedan advised parents and elders of families to facilitate marriage of their young men and women avoiding extremes and exaction.
He started his sermon by reading the noble Qur’anic verse: وَ اَنۡکِحُوا الۡاَیَامٰی مِنۡکُمۡ وَ الصّٰلِحِیۡنَ مِنۡ عِبَادِکُمۡ وَ اِمَآئِکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ یَّکُوۡنُوۡا فُقَرَآءَ یُغۡنِہِمُ اللّٰہُ مِنۡ فَضۡلِہٖ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ, (Arrange the marriage of the spouseless among you, and the capable from among your bondmen and bondwomen. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His grace. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.) He shed light on the importance of marriage in Islamic point of view. Shaikh urged it was the well of Allah to grant His servants calmness by marriage. The human generation’s survival is possible only through marriage. Allah Exalted has created human beings in the shape of male and female; each one is incomplete without the other spouse. Their completion is in marriage and mutual life.
The eminent Islamic scholar further said, “Marriage has been considerable for all cultures and civilizations. As well as Islam has given much importance to marriage; there are many verses about marriage and its pertinent commands and rulings. It proves none of religions and societies has given as much importance as Islam has done.”
The noble Qur’an states arrange marriage of the spouseless and do not be afraid if suitor is poor; marriage and children catch mercy of Allah and sufficient aliment. None of women, children and other weak classes of the society can be counted as ‘burden on the shoulders’ of society. Holy Prophet, peace & blessings be upon him, clarifies it that everybody gets his/her aliment and Allah’s mercy, and weak ones get support of Him, Mawlana added more.
He pointed out towards ‘importance of marriage in society’ saying, “Getting marriage in late age or neglecting married life in any society makes people prone to ruin and misdeeds. On the other hand, if people and young men and women give importance to marriage, that society would gain blessings and mercy of Allah. It has been experienced married students of seminaries and universities do not face any difficulty in their studies. So parents and other caretakers should facilitate marriage of young and widows. Marriage does not create obstacles for young students. It is narrated from Ali bin Abi-Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that he quoted Holy Prophet to be quick not late in three things; Salah (prayers) on time, enshrouding and burial of died people. And the third point is marriage of daughters when they are mature having suitable suitor.”
Khateeb of Sunni Muslims emphasized girls’ views should be asked over proposals. No one can force them to marry any one against their well. Parents and elders of widows can marry them only by clear permission of them. Suitors should not propose girls and widows directly. Respect of women must be preserved; for such events their elders like parents or brothers should be negotiated.
At the end of the first part of his Friday speech, Shaikh Abdol-Hameed underlined wedding parties should be simple and easy. Due to bad situation of economy young men can not afford heavy expenses of marriage and wedding parties. It is not necessary to invite lots of people for walima (marriage banquet). Instead of singing, dancing and other illegal acts, lawful things should be carried out like reading the Qur’an, Islamic songs etc which bring blessings in marriage.
‘Baluchistan’ is our national identity
Shaikh Abdol-Hameed Isma’eelzahi indicated to some whispers of dividing “Sistan-Baluchistan Province” and warned the authorities over removal of the word ‘Baluchistan’ in the second part of his speech in Zahedan.
Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunnah in the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan added more, “It has been heard some elements want division of the province; the thing that has worried all classes of the society is over deletion of the word ‘Baluchistan’ from the map of Iran. They suggest names for new provinces like ‘Sistan’, ‘Makoran’, ‘Velayat’ and etc. Baluchistan is an inseparable part of the history and identity of Iran. Some elements want to uproot people’s national and cultural identity.”
‘Baluchistan’ as a fact can be seen in historical documents; ‘Sistan’ was added to our province afterward. Everyone is worried over such sort of division; if it is necessary so the word of ‘Baluchistan’ must not be removed. It happened with Khorasan province as it was divided into three parts of Northern, Southern and Razavi (central) Khorasan. It was a logic partition of a big province, he underlined.
Addressing authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Governor of Sistan-Baluchistan, he made it clear that all parts of Baluchistan society including scholars, professors of universities, students, tribal elders, men and women are anxious over the murmurs of removing Baluchistan. Remove of the word ‘Baluchistan’ is for pleasing a particular group in the province to marginalize people’s national and religious identity. If someone wants to delete the name of Baluchistan, people would consider him enemy of their national identity.
The member of International Union for Muslim Scholars urged if the MPs of the province keep silent or show negligence about the issue, people would never forgive them. The elected MPs of Baluchistan must follow up the case. We do not insist on division of the province; if there is no any other option, the views of people and their representatives must be taken seriously. We hope the Ministry of Internal Affairs would not try to make people dissatisfied.
In another part of his sermon, Shaikh Abdol-Hameed Isma’eelzahi indicated to the ongoing sectarian unrest in Pakistan and stated recently some members of the Shia community in Quetta and some Islamic scholars and Muftis in other regions were assassinated in Pakistan. It is very painful. Such incidents target the respect of Pakistan and her people and rulers. The Pakistani nation and ruling class must take the matter seriously; they should handle the crisis soon.