Introduction:

Wisdom marrying Canadian means marriage of Muslims commencing among Canadian Muslims irrespective of their ethnicity. We have accepted this nation as our home where we would grow by educating, learning, earning and living by the tenets of Islam and by abiding with the laws of the Canadian land. While living in Canada, we need to be known as Canadian and Muslim. Thus, we would be ultimately called Canadian Muslims. Should Canadian Muslims import wives from overseas?

I have always envisaged Muslims in Canada as a single body but reluctantly wondered why linguistic, cultural and color barriers become a furcating wall among Muslims when it comes to social and marital bonds. I do not ignore the differences in mental set up of those who are recent arrivals to this country. They need time to understand and reform.  However, those who have been brought up in Canada, they must get the liberty of choosing a partner within Canada irrespective of external pressure. If Islamic teachings were equitably maintained in our lives then such a social norm among Canadian Muslims would be easy and socially comprehensible.  Marriage is a religious duty and it is a moral safeguard and a social necessity.

Marriage is an important tenet of Islam by which a male Muslim boy ties the bond of marriage with a female Muslim girl to fulfill the requirement of tranquility which first man created Adam (PBUH) rightly sought with Eve (PBUH). A Muslim can marry any other Muslim from any part of the world irrespective of linguistic, cultural and color barrier. Of course, the most sought requirement of the marriage is the agreement of the marrying boy and girl. Marrying with a spouse of local resident nation carries wisdom while marrying overseas carries certain barriers which we need to work upon. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mostly married women of resident Arab nation though also married a woman from Coptic Egypt of the time giving permissibility to inter racial marriage provided parameters of religion followed.

Recommendation from The-Qur’an:

"And they say, "Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous. These are the ones who attain Paradise in return for their steadfastness; they are received therein with joyous greetings and peace" {The Qur'an – Surah Al-Furqaan (Chapter: The Statute Book) 25:74 - 75].

The Trend & Solution:

With all due respect to everyone, parents of Asian children born and brought up in Canada prefer to import wives from India and Pakistan on the assumption that they are better cultured and make better wives than Asian women born and brought up with western values in Canada. The result is that there are many young Asian women who have been left on the shelf because young Asian men and their families often insist on marrying women from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,Afghanistan and Sri-Lanka. Such a trend is less prevalent among Arab Muslims who form a second largest Muslim group in Canada.

Highlighting this concern of mine, got a boost from A Glasgow-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Jamal who has told young British Muslim grooms with origins in the Indian subcontinent to marry women born in Scotland rather than 'import' wives from India and Pakistan. The joint western Muslims' concern remains as follows: -

There are many well-educated men and women, who want to get married but are not finding the right match.  There is an acute shortage of males and the ones who are available are getting married from back home. This leads to many women reluctantly having to bring someone from south Asia and that can lead to settlement and psychological problems. Importing wives from Asia who cannot speak English has implications for their integration with Canadian society. It makes sense to marry from within Canada / USA as both partners will speak English and will be familiar with local requirements. This will also make raising children much easier.

www.ccmw.com Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) states that almost one-quarter of Canadian Muslim women were born in Canada. Largest concentration of Muslim women is in Toronto (46%), followed by Montreal (17%), Vancouver (10%), Ottawa-Hull (8%), Calgary (5%), and Edmonton (4%). Let our eligible bachelors exhaust their efforts in finding woman from such Canadian locations for marriage.

Prophet Muhammad's life is traditionally delineated as two epochs: pre-Hijrah(emigration) in Mecca, from the year 570 AD to 622 AD, and post-Hijrahin Medina, from 622 AD until his bereavement in 632 AD. All but two of his marriages were contracted after the Hijrah. Prophet (PBUH) said, "There is no celibacy in Islam".

Example in The-Prophet:

During his life, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took thirteen (13) wives depending upon the differing accounts of who were his wives. In all the marriages, the intention was uniting the community and extending the support. They were Qhadija Bint Khuwaylid, Sawda Bint Zama, Aysha Bint Abe Bakr, Hafsa Bint Omar, Zainab Bint Khuzayma, Hind Bint Abe Umayyah, Zainab Bint Jahsh, Juwayriyya Bint al-Harith, Ramlah Bint Abe Sufiyan, Raihanah Bint Zaid, Safiyah Bint Huyeiy, Maymuna Bint al-Harith, and Maria al-Qibtiyya (RTA).  

At age 25, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wed his employer, the 40-year-old merchant Qhadija Bint Khuwaylid (RTA). The death of Qhadija (RTA) left Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lonely, and, before he left for Medina, he married 55 years old Sawda Bint Zama (PBUH), in the tenth year of Prophethood, who had suffered many hardships after she became a Muslim. At about the same period, Aysha (RTA) was engaged to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Rest you can read in Seerah of The-Prophet (PBUH).

Conclusion:

By having discussed the topic, there is a need to ponder and think in arranging marriages among the Canadian Muslims. Such matrimony would solve many issues with relation to settlement, integration, and Canadian experience and of eliminating cultural shock etc., within the society. Of course, Muslims in Canada likewise anywhere else are free to marry wherever they want by remaining within Islamic jurisdiction yet the need to think wisely should be at the discretion of the marrying partners and the parents. In case, if you are looking for a marital bond withinCanada you may consult local marriage bureau or visit websites i.e. www.matrimony.org - www.muslimmarriageintros.ca - www.muslim4muslim.com !

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