Here is a link to an article about the difficulties about being young in Egypt, especially when it comes to having a job and getting married (since the two are very much related).
April 8, 2008...6:43 am
Every Young Adult’s Favorite Topic: Marriage (and How Difficult it is)
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4 Comments
April 8, 2008 at 11:32 am
Mr. Jamaki,
I edited your post, so the link looks neat and pretty.
April 8, 2008 at 11:42 am
Malaysian government also helped young couples to get married. The government provided the money for wedding dresses, walima, and did the nikaah event for all the couples. It’s one of the approaches that the government took to reduce social problems among the Malays (most Malays are Muslims).
It is sad nowadays that this generation is so materialistic – both men and women. Women want rich husband, and put a high mahr, men wait to accumulate wealth to attract beautiful women. Both afraid of poverty and both are hungry for wealth. Both forgot that Allah swt is the One that provides.
April 9, 2008 at 5:45 pm
What do you guys think about this statement (sorry not about marriage) ?
“But with religious conservatism becoming the norm — the starting point — it is easier for extremists to entice young people over the line.”
I personally believe that the more “religious” and the better understanding a person has of Islam, the less likely he/she is to become extreme b/c it would be easier to distinguish the contradictions to the true teachings of Islam there are. From studies of those labeled as “extremist”, most are a result of political and economic backlash that mask themselves with an Islamic undertone and actually have very little knowledge of the teachings of Islam.
April 9, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Also, its very sad that Muslims are suffering from this excessive desire of wealth that is causing people not to get married. Its almost as if bank accounts are being sought after (by both men and women) for marriage instead of actual people. This part really stuck with me:
“Diane Singerman, a professor at American University, said that a 1999 survey found that marriage in Egypt cost about $6,000, 11 times annual household expenditures per capita. Five years later, a study found the price had jumped 25 percent more. In other words, a groom and his father in the poorest segment of society had to save their total income for eight years to afford a wedding, she reported.”
At the same time, I don’t think that all of these Muslims are chasing luxury. The education system has a significant amount of possible blame that can be attributed to it for this crisis.
“Education experts say that while Egypt has lifted many citizens out of illiteracy, its education system does not prepare young people for work in the modern world.”
One other thought was that although the societal norms for wealth and lavish weddings is a detrimental thing, would many of these people turn to Islam if marriage was easy? Its possible that these struggles to get married are in fact better for people in the long run b/c its bringing them closer to the Deen.