"We'd Rather Spend more on our Daughter's marriage than her Education"

It's sad to think that there are still some societies that exist where parents are concerned and often feel burdened by the pressure of getting their daughters married. Their worry often begins before their daughters have even reached a marriageable age. Marriage gives priority, in some cases not all, over everything else and daughters are often made to feel that the sole purpose of their lives is marriage and this should be their number one priority. 

Parents start worrying about saving for their daughter's big day so they can get her married off in a culturally fitting manner. In a sense, they rightly do so; it's a good thing for parents to think about these things for their children and it's always wise to plan ahead. However, again in some cases not all, we need to ask the question; why is a girl's education not given equal importance? Why do we feel that educating our daughters is a waste of time and money, but paying thousands in credit towards her wedding is justified? 

In Islam, we are taught the importance of continually seeking knowledge. It was stated by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) that “If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads to Paradise." (Al-Tirmidhi) This not only highlights that it's crucial that we seek knowledge but also informs us of the reward we will gain from doing so. It should be noted that Islam does not distinguish between men and women in regards to education. This is supported by the example of Aisha (Ra). She was a scholar of Islam who imparted her knowledge to others regardless of gender.

We should always remember that although marriage is an important part of faith as well as life, it should be understood that education is of equal significance. May Allah give us the ability to educate ourselves and enable our parents to make the same effort in regards to a daughter's education as some do for their marriage. Ameen. #thevoicetoday