Sheikh Nasiru Deen, Chief Executive Officer of Paragon Foundation, has blamed the failure of marriages in the Islamic community on lack of adequate knowledge on marriage as an institution.

Sheikh Deen noted that marriage is the first stage of focusing on Allah, and the core reason for every marriage is for it to become a tool for a couple to get closer and deepen the fear of Allah.

He was speaking at a day’s seminar organised by Fadlullah Company Limited, for Muslims on the theme. “Divorce in Islam: what every Muslim should know.” The seminar aimed to conscientise the participants on the need to keep their marriages safe, educated them on the Islamic perspective of marriage, what brings about divorce and how divorce should be handled in the Islamic way.

He said divorce should be something every Muslim must bear in mind and make sure they make their marriages successful, peaceful and protected. He said: “It is a spiritual institution to use our spouse to learn and trust Allah, and a battle field to get closer to the Almighty Allah.”

He urged Muslims to be simple in their marriages, adore their partners, learn to be able to manage the finances of their marriage and strive to learn more about marriage in order to have safe marriages.

Sheikh Ahmed Nkrumah, an Islamic Scholar said it is important for every Muslim to treat marriage as a serious issue in order to gain and attain the purpose of marriage, in order not to endure the anger of Allah.

He said marriage is an institution, with Allah as the sole Proprietor and the needed consideration has to be taken islamically before couples come together to minimise the risk of divorce. He said divorce in Islam should be the last resort to every unsuccessful marriage after all other measures have proved futile.

This, Sheikh Nkrumah said should be done only by authorised people in the Islamic community. He asked Muslims, especially the youth to be cautious about choosing their spouses and make sure they are well prepared before entering into marriage in order for them to get the desired essence of the institution.