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Written by John Musa
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Sunday, 23 February 2003 |
Many young muslim males are pushed to the non-muslim females because of misconception of dowry. Marrying a muslim woman given these misconception becomes a major financial challenge to the man and his family. Thus, many financially wanting but highly recommendable men marry non-muslims and non-moros. Meantime, because of this facts many moro and muslim women have becomed unmarried or taken by non-muslim man.
Sad to note that in many contemporary situations, muslim women taken by AFP personnel do not get the benefits of the dowry. And the equally sad situation, the family become non-muslim and usually take the religion of the non-muslim husband.
The essence of dowry is to equalize the property rights of the woman vis-a-vis man. Islam promotes patriarchal society. Thus, it provides more property rights to man especially in the aspect of inheritance. Man gets more than woman. This is equalized through the dowry. The dowry is supposedly given to the woman (not to her family as per practice) as her pre-conjugal property in order to provide her the financial and material means. Dowry MUST be reasonable and within the means of the man. It also depends on the capability of the man to provide for his upcoming family. If he is more capable and for all indications will become "a good father of his family" the dowry should be lesser because he will provide security for the woman and her upcoming children.
But the Moros' practice is much aloof from this essence. Infact, much of the dowry money go somewhere else instead to the woman. Aside from the dowry, the man will also have to spend for the wedding celebrations and festivities. In prominent families, it is usually extragant contrary to the Islamic virtue of simplicity and humility as exemplified by the Prophet (PBUH).
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