Imam bridges a wedding divide

[CosmicPathos]

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/44...edding_divide/

MUSLIM women and their Christian fiancés from across Europe are travelling to Oxford to get married because imams in their own countries refuse to perform the ceremonies.

Dr Taj Hargey, chairman of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, said he had performed about 36 marriages in the past two years between Muslim women and non-Muslim men.
More imams are happy to marry Muslim men to non-Muslim women.
Couples from Spain, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, France and Norway have all come to Dr Hargey after failing to find someone locally prepared to carry out the service.


Most had spent months looking for an imam, and many found Dr Hargey after contacting American Muslim leaders via the Internet.
Dr Hargey, who believes he is the only imam in the UK who openly performs the mixed marriages, said: “We do it because there is no prohibition in the Koran.
“Islam allows Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women and such marriages are common, but I am one of the only people who will do it the other way round.”
He said couples had to sign up to five non-negotiable conditions protecting the woman’s faith, and agree to counselling before he would perform marriages.
Muslim Sana Majeed McMillion, 27, and Christian-born Andrew McMillion, 32, were married by Dr Hargey last night in Abingdon — a 1,500 mile round-trip from their home in Oslo.
Mr McMillion, an account manager for an IT company, said: “Generally speaking it seems to be totally accepted for men to marry non-Muslims, but not women.
“When we talked to Dr Taj we finally met someone who had a different understanding of that.”
The pair had a civil wedding in Oslo last July, but wanted a Muslim marriage contract and the blessing of Allah on their union.
Pakistan-born Mrs McMillion, who is expecting the couple’s first child, said her faith was “part and parcel” of who she was and added: “The rights set down in the Islamic contract are very precious. This is something really important to me.”


Dr Hargey said: “We have a social timebomb with Muslim women getting better educated than their male counterparts and becoming lawyers and doctors while the men are taxi drivers — the average woman is not going to find her partner from taxi-driving.”


Dr Hojjat Ramzy, a trustee at the Muslim Iqra School in Oxford and an Islamic registrar, said such marriages were not permitted in Islam.
He said: “It is not allowed under any circumstances for a Christian man to marry a Muslim woman, it is not acceptable.”

my question: muslim men, you'd like to diffuse the time bomb now? Or still more interested in F1 and soccer.

[YusufNoor]

nothing to diffuse. i do not watch ANYTHING on regular TV, nor do i watch sports. i don't even know what F1 is.

ANY woman who rejects shariah is no longer Muslim, no matter what charade she is playing. she can marry whomever she desires.

that being said, technically, i am a cab driver!!

[إحسان]

This is so shameful. Ya Allaah! I'm going to do lots of du'aa for these ladies.

How can they be comfortable marrying a non-Muslim? The one who doesn't love Allah (swt), the one who doesn't obey Him? Marry one of the kuffaar who anger Allah?

And their future children? They'll be so confused. Many follow their father's religion, and contrary of what many females would like to believe unless you're a single mother, the husband is usually the head of the house. They play an important role in their children's upbringing in terms of their behaviour, beliefs, morals etc.

Allah yehdihom This is so saddening. It's not like our Muslim brothers are instinct. SubhanaAllah.

[ardianto]

Muslim taxi driver?





Thousands miles away from UK, in twin city called Islamabad-Rawalpindi



I don't think he is rich. But I appreciate his creativity. Google him.

Okay, brothers! maybe you are not lucky to get better jobs, and currently become taxi drivers as the only choice. But always use your creativities. InshaAllah, you will get better life.

[Endymion]

11. You can only warn him who follows the Reminder (the Qur'an), and fears the Most Beneficent (Allah) unseen. Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness, and a generous reward (i.e. Paradise).

36. Surah Ya-Sin

[Futuwwa]

Maybe these women should not be so dismissive of taxi drivers. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid married a man who, at the time, was far below her in the social pecking order.

[CosmicPathos]

but then these women aint Khadijahs ...

[جوري]

If 'Muslim' women wanted to marry christian men they don't need an imam they can have a civil union! This is just written to be annoying.
Incidentally I found many Muslim men drivers who are also doctors, one such guy was Algerian, his bro managed to complete his medical work in France while he stayed in NY. He was lovely so lovely & very shy. He'll make some sister a wonderful husband someday.. Just because they're taxi drivers doesn't mean they're uneducated or degenerates or unworthy. I kinda despise the implication this casts on both genders and the simplicity with which it presents a modern day problem!

[YusufNoor]

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/44...edding_divide/

Dr Hargey said: “We have a social timebomb with Muslim women getting better educated than their male counterparts and becoming lawyers and doctors while the men are taxi drivers — the average woman is not going to find her partner from taxi-driving.”

my question: muslim men, you'd like to diffuse the time bomb now? Or still more interested in F1 and soccer.

let's look at this statement in parts:

Muslim women getting better educated than their male counterparts and becoming lawyers and doctors

if only this were the case! Muslim women should be the best educated and most honored women on the planet! if they are becoming lawyers and doctors, well, Alhamdulillah!

while the men are taxi drivers

you mean, some poor bloke who works 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day to clothe and feed his family? May Allah give him Jannah!

so, women being educated and men working hard to support their families is somehow a bad thing?

it is kuffar talk! they say this isn't a good thing! they are telling Muslim women NOT to settle hard working men [you COULD have a doctor or lawyer instead. taqwah means nothing]. it is also implying to Muslim men that they shouldn't let "their" womenfolk become doctors and lawyers because they will no longer want them as husbands; so keep your women ignorant! [or else they'll marry Christians!]

it means that Islam is for the uneducated whereas a college degree will make you smart enough to become Christian! [or at least get one/prefer them]

it is propaganda!

that is the i.e.d.!

wake up!

[Ramadan90]

"The pair had a civil wedding in Oslo last July, but wanted a Muslim marriage contract and the blessing of Allah on their union. "

Well, that will not happen. Bye!

[Ramadan90]

And I dislike shallow people who choose their spouse depending on what career they have. * shake my head*

[Insaanah]

For clarification, Taj Hargey is a hadeeth rejector from a Qadiyani family.

He is a member of British Muslims for secular democracy, and has campaigned to have the niqaab banned as he believes it is a primitive and barbaric practice.

I am not sure why this is being taken so seriously, or posted at all for that matter. Nothing he says should be taken seriously, other than to stay well away from it. If there is an issue, it's that Muslim women should not be marrying non-Muslim men. We are losing sight of the main point here.

[Muwaahid]

Lots of things are going through my mind and from amongst those things is, how can a believing woman even consider marrying kaafir man? That goes to show you that she has no understanding what so ever about islaam. I mean think about it, it is clear from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah that the believing women are not permitted to marrying disbelieving men. Am I right? Of course, that is why all the A'immah [plural of Imaam] refused to do it. Do you know why? Because it is forbidden and unprecedented. That so called Imaam has invented into the religion of Islaam something that was never done before in the history of Islaam. He has made halal [permissible] what Allah has ,made Haram [not permissible]. Istihlaal [making something halal that Allah or his Messenger (alayhi salam) made haram] take a person out of the fold of Islaam. That is Kufrul Akbar [major kufr]. That doctor would fall under the tile of Tawghoot [false deity] for a number of different reasons. There is no doubt that the Dr. and those women have no idea whatsoever what Tawheed is and what opposes it or what negates it and what dimishes it.
This is why the foundation of Islaam is so important to understand and that foundation is Tawheed. It isn't just mere lip profession but this Tawheed is very involved. It deals with Nafee [negation] and Ithbaat [affirmation] it deals with singling out Allah alone for every legislated act of worship, whether it be in the form of statements [[glorifying Allah-Subhaana Allah or reciting His Book the Qur'aan al-amru bil maroof wa nahiya anil munkar-enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong/making supplication/dhikr-remembering Allah in a way that He approves of as taught by the Messenger of Allah (alayhi salam)] or actions like Salah [prayers] and Siyaam [fasting] Jihad [struggling for Allah's sake] removing something harmful from the road. All of this is done with the intention of seeking Allah's Face. Protecting ones actions from shirk making all actions soley for Allah alone. How then can this Dr. marry these sisters off to these disbelievers? And the sisters seeking to make halal what Allah has forbidden. I really dont get it sisters, dont be fooled by the glitter and glamour of this life! This life is short compared to the life to come, a few stolen moments of happiness only to recieve the consequence of eternal hellfire and destruction and sorrow and regret and humilation and horrific atrocities and to be forever hated by Al-Wadood! To never be extended mercy from ar-Raheem! To never recieve the many gifts and felicities of Paradise from Al-Wahhaab! To never recieve saftey and security from As-Salaam! All that just for a few moments, minutes, seconds as compared to the Hellfire? That Dr. and Allah knows best is a straight Shaytawn! Calling people to the hellfire! Like what the prophet [alayhi salam] said, "du'aat ala abwaabi Jahanam" Callers on the gates of the hellfire" calling people to it. Why do we allow the dunyaa to decieve us? We don't know? Allah didn't tell us in his book? The Messenger didn't inform us? Seriously? Really? Allahul Musta'aan

[Futuwwa]

And I dislike shallow people who choose their spouse depending on what career they have. * shake my head*

Does that mean you will not let any woman know you are a doctor until after she has accepted your marriage proposal?

[CosmicPathos]

Does that mean you will not let any woman know you are a doctor until after she has accepted your marriage proposal?

That's how I am planning to do it. Of course unless she is my colleague then she'll automatically know my qualifications, which would kinda make me wonder why is she interested in me.

[CosmicPathos]

let's look at this statement in parts:



if only this were the case! Muslim women should be the best educated and most honored women on the planet! if they are becoming lawyers and doctors, well, Alhamdulillah!



you mean, some poor bloke who works 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day to clothe and feed his family? May Allah give him Jannah!

so, women being educated and men working hard to support their families is somehow a bad thing?

it is kuffar talk! they say this isn't a good thing! they are telling Muslim women NOT to settle hard working men [you COULD have a doctor or lawyer instead. taqwah means nothing]. it is also implying to Muslim men that they shouldn't let "their" womenfolk become doctors and lawyers because they will no longer want them as husbands; so keep your women ignorant! [or else they'll marry Christians!]

it means that Islam is for the uneducated whereas a college degree will make you smart enough to become Christian! [or at least get one/prefer them]

it is propaganda!

that is the i.e.d.!

wake up!

Interesting way to look at it. I agree with you that those might be their intentions by saying such things. But it goes one step ahead and shows that humans (Muslims and non-Muslims both) marry for reasons other than "love." Reasons such as looks, career, income etc. And then we had Bob Marley singing "One Love." No such thing.

[Ramadan90]

Does that mean you will not let any woman know you are a doctor until after she has accepted your marriage proposal?

Never thought of it, good idea. If that what it takes to find a mu'minat, then yes.

[CosmicPathos]

I am not sure why this is being taken so seriously, or posted at all for that matter.

I just posted it with intention of spreading the knowledge and keeping other Muslims aware of what's going on in Muslim communities.

I didnt know that info about Taj. Thanks for posting that.

w salam.

[جوري]

For clarification, Taj Hargey is a hadeeth rejector from a Qadiyani family.

He is a member of British Muslims for secular democracy, and has campaigned to have the niqaab banned as he believes it is a primitive and barbaric practice.

I am not sure why this is being taken so seriously, or posted at all for that matter. Nothing he says should be taken seriously, other than to stay well away from it. If there is an issue, it's that Muslim women should not be marrying non-Muslim men. We are losing sight of the main point here.

When I read the article I just shrugged my shoulders, it is obviously meant to be insulting to both Muslim men and women, like I said earlier if a so called Muslim woman wanted to marry a kaffir because kaffirs are much more advanced than their Muslim male counterparts then frankly a civil union will do- no?

[Muwaahid]

When I read the article I just shrugged my shoulders, it is obviously meant to be insulting to both Muslim men and women, like I said earlier if a so called Muslim woman wanted to marry a kaffir because kaffirs are much more advanced than their Muslim male counterparts then frankly a civil union will do- no?

If it was mentioned in the first place that he is qaadiani i would not have said anything because qaadianis are disbelievers because the believe in a prophet after muhammad [alayhi salam] i.e ghulam ahmed. I wonder whats the virtue of posting stuff like this anyway? to get the people in am uproar? Subhaana Allah what evil we bring to our believing brothers and sisters by narrating anything and everything we hear. Allahul Musta'aan