Ten Things you Need to Know about Oladele Saheed, WAFSEP Coodinator

Has the poor mastery of English in many Nigerian schools ever bothered you?
What about its awful societal usage?

Thank God for War Against the Falling Standard of English Project (WAFSEP). 

Here are ten things you need to know about the brains behind it. 

1.    Oladele Saheed was a victim of the fallen standard of education in Nigeria. He did not only attend a public secondary school that left much to be desired but also celebrated mediocrity. These circumstances turned him to a post-secondary school self-developmental student. Six months indoor life became his turning point as the dozens of books he read on English prepared the solid foundation for his future career and projects. Reading 12 hours daily is unarguably herculean but the fruit is sweet. Before Oladele Saheed gained admission to the University of Ibadan to study linguistics, he had written his first unpublished material that demystified WAEC English.

2.    During his undergraduate days in the University, despite marital responsibilities, Oladele Saheed participated in several extra-curricular activities such as campus journalism, media reportage, and literary and debating among others. Yet, this did not derail him from graduating with the first class grade he had maintained from his first year. 

3.     Immediately after graduation, Oladele Saheed was hired by Adiat School of Basic Studies, Agbowo, Ibadan to teach WAEC GCE English. His handwritten pre-university material did wonders as majority of the over 120 candidates he taught mainly from public schools had distinctions in English. This is what inspired him to start the Erudite Centre for Language Proficiency at the tail end of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme to deal with the numerous teaching prospects.

4.    As a corps member at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Oladele Saheed’s good grasp of syntax availed him of the opportunity to co-teach linguistics courses with Professor Lawrence O. Adewole across undergraduate levels. This distinguished him from other corps members serving in the University. Despite the academic and other tasks, the NYSC year witnessed the beginning of two of his books.

5.     During his Master of Arts programme in linguistics, Oladele Saheed was a University of Ibadan Scholar. As a way of rewarding his academic excellence, the University did not only wave his tuition, accommodation and other fees but also paid him monthly stipends. 

6.     Oladele Saheed’s online exposure to international services offered by language companies abroad led to the establishment of Erudite Millennium Limited to bridge the gap in the supposed Nigeria Language Industry and create jobs for language graduates and other related professionals. His enthusiasm for arresting the poor mastery of English in schools and its awful usage in society formed the basis of his War Against the Falling Standard of English Project (WAFSEP) which has attracted the attention of many scholars. 

7.      Through the instrumentality of Erudite Millennium Limited, Oladele Saheed has successfully co-trained federal and state government officials, journalists, private school proprietors and teachers among others. It is important to mention here some of the scholars that have made the Erudite training experience worthwhile: Professor Francis Egbokhare and Doctor Demola Lewis of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages; Doctors Olayinka Egbokhare, Bisi Olawuyi and Raphael Ojebuyi of the Department of Communication and Language Arts; Doctor Kester Ojokheta of the Department of Adult Education; Misters Charles Akinsete, Akin Tela, Gabriel Faniyan and Ms Bimpe Aderibigbe and Esther Opeyemi Atolagbe of the Department of English and Ms Bimbo Benson of the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

8.    Even though training is one of its key instruments, WAFSEP has three major research goals. The first is to develop a tool for Practical Oral English Teaching and Examination in Nigerian Schools that will not only serve as a reference material for teachers but also a self-practice tool for students. It may interest you to know how far this has gone. In 2014, Oladele Saheed launched Remedial English Pronunciation Software to rid users of learning and examining oral English on paper and boards in schools. Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo among other dignitaries that graced the launch considered the software a very helpful tool that would revolutionize the teaching and learning of English in the country and urged the author to keep updating it till it becomes the standard of oral English teaching in every Nigerian school. In 2015, based on this golden advice and request from schools, Oladele Saheed developed a comprehensive lesson plan for easy use of the software from JSS1 to SSS3 and included tongue twisters and other necessary features skipped in the software. Today, Remedial English Pronunciation Software has been approved and recommended as instructional material in oral English by the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). If everything goes according to plan, REP-Software and its comprehensive lesson plan will soon turn Paper 3 of the Nigeria School Certificate English, Test of Orals, to Alternative to Practical Oral English as done in Chemistry and other related subjects. This will raise the standard of English speaking in Nigeria and improve our international intelligibility.

9.    The second goal of WAFSEP is to bridge the gap between the static Nigerian English curriculum and dynamic English, as a subject and medium of instruction in schools through up-to-date research findings. It is surprising that the kind and manner of English learnt in school or read in books two decades ago is still promoted by the Nigerian curriculum. This is why the noun is still defined as ‘the name of any person, animal, place or thing’ or just ‘a naming word’ and the verb as ‘an action or doing word’ in Nigerian schools. Hasn’t anything changed or developed? Oladele Saheed’s New Dimensions in English for Up-to-date Communication to be launched in a couple of months is expected to challenge English language teachers, curriculum planners, concerned English language users and other stakeholders.

10.  The last goal of WAFSEP is to devise a new vocabulary scheme that will lead to a paradigm shift from the current emphasis on impressionistic vocabulary items to simple English words for the right purposes. If many Nigerian graduates, after sixteen years of education in English, cannot adequately describe the human body in English let alone knowing the simple English words for common Afro-English concepts, what is expected of secondary and primary school learners? Oladele Saheed’s Multipurpose English: an Ideal Vocabulary Handbook (2017, forthcoming) will not only facilitate the learning of ideal vocabulary for efficient communication which is the focus of current English dictionaries but also form the basis of the Erudite Centre for Language Proficiency’s Diction Plus Competition using an ultra-modern interactive learning application for all Nigerian secondary schools. Oladele Saheed believes that spelling bee is not enough without testing pronunciation and understanding of words. To him language learning begins where some people think it ends.

ABUSES OF POLYGAMY: A MINIMALIST CONDITION

Salaamun alaekum

Episode IV of LIFE in PRISON!

I don’t know how on Earth someone would prefer poverty to reign in her family. Such is the case of a woman who approached a sorcerer to foil her husband’s plan for another wife. She was told there is no charm to prevent a man from marrying another wife except to impoverish him. Without delay, the plot began. She asked her husband for money to boost her business. As she got it, she was to leave for the sorcerer’s but she made a mistake. She decided to call ahead but with her lover’s phone unknowing to her that both the sorcerer and her husband are acquaintances! I don’t know why on Earth marrying a non-Muslim will be a desired remedy for envisaged polygamy. This is the case of a Muslim lady, one of the five daughters of a well-educated man, who claimed that Muslim men are fond of marrying more than one wife and would not like to experience such. Subsequently, she got married to a non-Muslim who eventually due to a matrimonial scrap did what she never wished. It was a case of mistaken miscalculation as her four siblings who married Muslims are yet to have co-wives!

The Islamic Polygamy

Polygamy in Islam is bound by number, impartiality and finance criteria. The Number Constraint is one of the factors that mark it off ordinary polygamy as the maximum number of wives a Muslim man may have is four. The fact that a Muslim man cannot simultaneously keep more than four wives is a matter without disagreement in Islam. A Muslim who does otherwise is practising ordinary polygamy not the Islamic one. Allah says: ‘Marry women of your choice; two, three, or four….’ However, the Impartiality Criterion is the herculean task that many polygamists have to really face. It requires not only the physical but also psychological and emotional maturity. Allah continues: ‘…but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or that which your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice’. Qur’an 4(Suratu Nisa- the Women):3. The verse above does not in any way mean that co-wives must be loved equally but treated equally to the best of one’s ability. Sheikh Salih Al-Munajjid explains this further thus: ‘What is meant by the justice that is required in order for a man to be permitted to have more than one wife is that he should treat his wives equally in terms of spending, clothing, spending the night with them and other material things that are under his control.’ Also, Financial Capability is a prerequisite for plural marriage but not all take cognizance of it. This serves as a source of discouragement to many people even the financially capable. Allah says: ‘And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allaah enriches them of His Bounty.’ Qur’an 24 (Suratu Noor-the Chapter of Light): 33  

Muslim Men’s Abuses of Polygamy

1.      Virginity as a stringent condition for plural marriage is an abuse by some Muslim men. In fact, it has made their intention foggy to women in the event of mending the Islamic fences or minding sexual gratification. However, I am not unaware that there exists hadith(s) that may corroborate curiosity for virginity but if it is a first wife condition there may be no cause for alarm. A fleeting glimpse into the Prophet’s matrimonial home will decide the fate of a sister who became a widow in her early 20s.

2.      Another abuse by some Muslim men is to take no cognizance of lifestyle or background variation among women. Actually, it is a matter of common sense that the approach of a man married to a first wife without a single relative-polygamist should be different from one whose wife hails from a polygamous home; we pray Allah for wisdom. You may be startled if a husband and a wife who have been leading a western-cultured life for over two decades would deem it fit to hazard polygamy without prior tactical manifestation of such intent.

3.      Lack of adequate potency is another source of abuse by some Muslim men. Potency as a firmly established condition for Islamic marriage has its root in the Prophet’s precept that he who has ‘baa’ should marry. The word ‘baa’ in Arabic has been popularly interpreted by Muslim scholars as both financial capability and potency. But, if the collapse of some monogamous bridges has been grounded on libido-related matters, then the polygamists need to watch it. An eligible bigamist should not bite off more than he can chew on the premise of divine latitude to marry up to four wives.

4.      Another source of abuse by some Muslim men is to make their pluro-marital status confidential even to the first wife. Women in such relationship are called secrete wives a phenomenon that is not only specious but also lacking an Islamic basis. In fact, the satanic tendencies inherent in it are open-ended! I wonder what such people tell their first wives whenever they are with the secrete wives without lying or how they manage the situation when the wives eventually get to know without triggering lingering bitterness.

5.      Temperament is another source of abuse by some Muslim men. A man who is easily angered or finds it difficult to overlook people may not make a good polygamist. Remember that the Prophet is your model; ‘laa tagdob’ don’t be angry. A young Muslim lady’s impression about polygamy changed positively after her stay with a Muslim man and his wives for about six months. She actually told me that distinguishing children of A from B or C is not a simple task. Lo, I have a similar experience! May Allah make it easy for us too. Apparently, a shift from monogamy to bigamy requires amplified patience.

6.      The role of finance in institutionalizing an admirable polygamous home cannot be overemphasized. However it is one of the most obvious abuses of polygamy by some Muslim men as it is not being given its due consideration. Lest you forget, Islam has placed women on a pedestal of honour and so, we have to treat them like royalty. Marrying two wives in a single room is not a reflection of strong faith but a deprivation of deserved honour.     

Muslim Women’s Abuses of Polygamy

1.      Some Muslim women’s understanding of justice, one of the conditions for plural marriage is far from it_a misconception indeed. Such women are apt at presenting their view to men that Allah has said they can’t be just. Without further ado, they propose to men the minimalist condition of sticking to one wife instead. However, this scholarly commentary proves them wrong: ‘In such cases, the Islamic law does not demand equal treatment between them in affection and love. What it does demand is that a wife should not be neglected as to be practically reduced to the position of the woman who has no husband at all.’ Allah says: You will never be able to do perfect justice between your wives even if it is your passionate desire. Therefore, do not incline too much (towards one wife) so as to leave the other in a state of suspense. Qur’an 4(Suratu Nisa-the Women):129

2.      Some Muslim women claim they don’t have problem with polygamy and if they will do it at all, they must be the first wife. First, they don’t want to inconvenience the person at home; second, they want to have ‘first love’ experience. But, if these are the reasons of our precious women, then what gives me the guts to say you are wrong. I trust you; you can’t hold such an opinion on this matter without a salaf! Sisters, show them your evidence and gag them for a while. ‘And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and it may be that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.’ Qur’an 2(Suratul Baqarah-the Cow):216     

3.      Some Muslim women claim that the fact that the Prophet PBUH lived with Khadeejah, his first wife, for 25 years without marrying another wife until she died is enough a lesson for Muslim men. Yes, it is. But the lesson there is that he did not do it because Allah had not inspired him to, the same way he did not pray for almost 13 years until he was instructed by his Lord to do so. Allah says: ‘Nor does he (Muhammad) speak of (his own) desire. It is not but a revelation revealed.’ Quran 53(Surah al Najm-the Star): 3-4

4.      Making reference to the fact that Alee did not marry another wife until Faatimah died is an uncommon abuse though limited to Muslim women from scholarly families. Nevertheless, such women need to be told that their fathers are not prophets of Allah which is enough among other reasons if I claim that it was a deserved deference to the last messenger PBUH of God to mankind.

5.      Your argument that plural marriage results in husbands having less time and attention for their wives is not peculiar to the issue in hand. Other factors like study, business or public responsibilties may have similar effect on the household. In fact, some people’s nature of job requires five days away from their families in a week. Whatever is done for Allah’s sake is irregrettably rewarding.

6.      Muslim women need to get down to brass tacks! Plural marriage is not the only catalyst of marital discord. It is a general problem, not exclusively a product of polygamy. In addition, if over 50% rate of divorce has been reported in the Western world where monogamy reigns supreme, then spare polygamy. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath-water; you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs!

Polygamy, a Matter of Common Sense

• ·        Polygamy is not a peculiar tradition of our beloved Prophet PBUH. Some other prophets of God were also married to more than one woman. For example, the father of faith-Ibrahim ASW. During the time of the Prophet, there were men who became Muslims who previously had more than four wives but were told to keep four and divorce the rest. Moreover, polygamy as a concept is not alien to Christianity only certain priests are asked to steer clear of it in the New Testament.

• ·         Statistically, in many communities, there are more women than men . In such communities, if each man were to marry just one woman, some women would be left without a husband, a situation which may have a harmful effect on society.

• ·         The fact that men are more vulnerable than women is one of the reasons why Islam has preemptively established polygamy as an institution. Larry Jensen reports a 30 years war which claimed the lives of many men in Nuremberb, Germany. This led the parliament into a decree which allowed a single man to marry up to 10 wives.

• ·         Some men have high sexual urge that cannot be satisfied by a single wife. If such men are not allowed more than one wife each, the repercussion may be unbearable as it will not only open doors to vices but also be a great inconvenience to the wives.

• ·         There are certain situations when a wife may not be approachable especially if she travels maybe on a course or she is sick. There will be no cause for alarm if she is not the only wife. The variation in menstrual and post-partum bleeding periods is also a relevant case here or what should be the fate of a Muslim whose wife menstruates for two weeks in a month?

• ·         What should a man who has an infertile wife do? Should a woman who may not naturally meet some needs of her spouse be husbandless? Should a young widow wait persistently for an imaginary bachelor to ask for her hand? Islam and nature are conjoined!   

 Concluding Remarks

Early Polygamy, a Matter of Choice: Matters arising from polygamous homes such as grown-up children, especially daughters, conniving with their mothers to outwit their fathers on projected polygamy are lending credence to early polygamy, a common practice among the salafs. Moreover, its benefits outweigh that of delayed polygamy in the sense that it is easier for the first wife to adapt to the situation in hand, helps the children to grow in unison, and bridges the wide matrimonial contribution gap that usually exists between the first and the other wife(s).  

A Note of Caution to Muslim Men: ‘It is not obligatory for the husband, when he wishes to marry another, to get his first wife's acceptance, but it is a noble trait of character and good relations for him to appease her by whatever decreases the pain which woman naturally feels in such situations. This may be achieved by smiling, greeting her warmly and speaking kindly to her, and by whatever gift you can afford, if her acceptance requires it. Moreover, each wife has the right to her own, separate accommodation as prescribed in Islam. It is not permissible for the husband to force his wives to live together in one apartment.’ Sheikh Salih Al-Munajjid

A Situational Report on the West: ‘Almost all Western governments have forbidden polygamy; but adultery is most rampant in these very countries. In spite of all attempts to promote monogamous relationships, many married men have mistresses or are involved in extra-marital affairs resulting in higher divorce rates, broken families and children growing up without fathers. And such kind of behaviour has also touched the highest offices —religious as well as secular— of the United States of America.’ S. M. Rizvi

A Minimalist Report from the USA: ‘We are going from monogamy to something called serial monogamy and we have no rules and guidelines; we’re groping in the dark for how to conduct our lives.’ Ira Lurvey, American Bar Association

The Last Pact with your Lord: ‘It is not right for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His messenger has indeed strayed into a plane error.’ Qur’an 33(Suratul Ahzaab- the Parties): 36

Islam says NO to PROMISCUITY like keeping one wife at home and many mistresses outside.

Say YES to POLYGAMY; it is God-given and nature-friendly gift to man. Stop the Abuse Now!

Watch out for Episode V of LIFE in PRISON after Ramadhaan in shaa Allah. Sorry for any inconvenience!

©Oladele Saheed

EDUCATION VS MARITAL LIFE: MATTERS ARISING…

Salaamun alaekum

Episode III of LIFE in PRISON!

EDUCATION VS MARITAL LIFE: MATTERS ARISING…

A decade ago I was at a wedding on a diet by Dr Mos’ud Akanbi. On this occasion, the medic affirmed that the best age for marriage lies between 18 and 25 as it is the ideal period for the best ovulation. Today, a female non-Muslim consultant-gynecologist at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is advocating undergraduate marriage as a way out of extra marital affairs and medical problems. She asserts that the best age for childbirth starts at 22 and therefore challenges female students to prove whether marriage at their level violates any of the rules and regulations in the Students’ Handbook.

You may mutter that it is easier said than done but there are many interesting cases of married students who are breaking the jinx.

1.      This year, the only two married students (one Muslim and one Christian) among many spinsters in a terrifying department made a first class division after 14 years of such record.

2.      In 2011, Ummu Abdulqaadir, despite her three children, was the best graduating student of the year in her departmental unit.

3.      After her 100 level days in the university, the young Ummu Inaayah was so bold to go into nuptials. Today, she is not just a happy doctor but a mother of two.

4.      I was personally concerned seeing the young Ummu Aiman around heavily pregnant when her part one of MBBS exam was approaching. She did not only deliver the baby successfully close to the exam but also performed very well in it.

5.       Barely a week to her part one-MBBS exam also, Ummu Abdullahi, put to bed and still passed the exam conveniently. Today, with her second child in college, everything is fine with her in her final year.

6.      In 400 level, Ummu Maryam won the heart of her not-easy-to-convince father to tie the knot. Today, she is enjoying the joy of motherhood as a fresh doctor.

7.      A brilliant student fumbled twice in her part one-MBBS exams owing to her failure to secure her father’s marital consent. Immediately the table turned, she made her family proud by soaring high consistently academically.

8.      Abu Abdurahman got married after his part one-MBBS exam, had his first child two days to his part two exam and was still counted out of the many examinees who could not come up to scratch. Again, despite his matrimonial responsibilities, he sailed through all the part four exam papers albeit the mass failure.

9.      Abu Khadeejah had his first child in 400 level yet with his marital status, he maintained his scholarship till graduation. He had his second child during his National Youth Service year and still was the best graduating student of his department in both coursework and research project at the Master’s level.

10.  Abu Abdulbaasit’s marriage coincided with his admission to the university. Immediately after his 200 level first semester exam, he was blessed with a child. Also prior to his final year first semester exam, he was blessed with another child. Despite matrimonial demands on him, and his involvement in many other extra-curricular activities, he consistently maintained his first class grade from 100 level till graduation. The good work did not stop there with the birth of his third child during the National Youth Service year and a fourth one during this master’s class.  

Now that it has been established that marital life does not in any way have any negative effect on education; it only requires an understanding partner and family and with Allah’s help, success is assured.

The Earlier the Better SPIRITUALY

Ø  You never can tell when you are departing this life; make hay while the sun shines. No religious matter must be delayed. The Prophet says: When a servant (of Allah) marries, he has completed half of his religion. Let him fear and revere Allah with respect to the other half. Hadith 430, Hassan, Sahih ul-Jami’-Albaani

Ø You can’t be too sure of yourself; men and women have been created with a mutual natural desire. Never allow Shaytan to take advantage of this. The Prophet says: I have not left after me a trial more severe to men than women. Muttafaqun alehi

Ø Bear in mind that marriage avails you the opportunity to lawfully fulfill your desire for the opposite sex so the earlier the better. The Prophet says: For two people who love each other, nothing has proved as good as marriage. Hadith 624, As-Sahihah-Albaani

Ø Be assured that being in a marital relationship with someone earns you reward from Allah. Even the enjoyment you derive from having sex with your spouse does not diminish the reward because if you were to have it illegally you would be punished. The Prophet says: But has Allah not given you that which you may offer as charity? Verily…forbidding evil is a charity, and having intercourse (with your spouse) is a charity. Sahih Muslim, Musnad Imam Ahmad and others.

Ø  At a time when the fear of poverty has beclouded our judgmental sense to attach to marriage its due importance, if you decide to take the bull by the horns; Allah’s aid is sure for you. Allah says: Marry the unmarried among you and the righteous of your male and female servants. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from his favours. Allah is Bountiful and Knowing. Qu'ran 24(Suratu Nur-the Chapter of Light):32 

The Prophet says: It is a right upon Allah to help one who seeks to marry for the purpose of avoiding what Allah has prohibited. Hadith 3152, Hassan,  Sahih ul-Jami’-Albaani

ACT NOW!

The Earlier the Better MEDICALLY

Ø  You never can tell when you are reaching your menopause; expectedly from 45 upwards but Allah does as He wills. I learned of two Muslim women who met their menopause at 37 and 39 after giving birth to four and seven children respectively.

Ø  As women grow older, their fertility reduces hence people who marry late may find it difficult getting pregnant. You don’t have to put yourself at such risk.

Ø  Victims of late marriage who eventually get pregnant late are at the risk of having children with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome. I hope you will save your children from trouble.

Ø  Also, you are at the risk of age-related non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes which may affect the outcome of your pregnancy adversely if you refuse to marry early. God forbid!

ACT NOW!

The Earlier the Better SOCIALLY

Ø  Early marriage avails you the opportunity to raise your children at an early stage before you start ageing. By the time other ladies of your age are about to activate their childbirth experience, you are already through. Moreover, young parents have been discovered to be more active at child upbringing.

Ø  Also, early marriage earns you communal respect as your public image changes immediately you get married. In fact, people don’t talk to you just any how again because they are aware you have somebody to fend for you.

Ø  Early marriage is a solution to moral decadence such as masturbation, seduction, prostitution and abortion that are now rampant in our society as sexual urge is one of the reasons for them. ‘Prostitution as a social vice has become a common phenomenon among teenagers and most adult ripe enough for marriage. This vice has taken a different dimension over the years with new skills and method of indulging in it,’ a non-Muslim female student opined.

ACT NOW!

   

Advice for Parents

Ø  Dear Sir or Ma, with due respect, AGE is never a factor in marital considerations but MATURITY which may be physical, mental and emotional. ‘Somehow, we have internalized the Western definition of "childhood" and "adulthood" so much so that we frequently refer to our young adult children of marriageable age as "children" or "too young" to marry. Both the labeling of adults as "children" and the excuse that adults are "too young" to marry are phenomena that are not only new to Islam but are inventions of the modern age in general.’ Baiyinah Siddeeq, ‘Marriage, To Wait or Not to Wait...’

Ø  Dear Sir or Ma, with due respect, MARRIAGE is never a barrier to EDUCATION as the ten cases above clearly demonstrated beyond reasonable imagination. ‘Somehow, the Western system of "education" has replaced Islam as the central priority in Muslims' lives. This blind dedication to obtaining a degree is so ingrained in the Muslim family that if a daughter herself is interested in marriage, the parents will forbid the matrimony solely on the grounds that she must finish school.’ Baiyinah (op. cit.)

Ø  Dear Sir or Ma, with due respect, it is time we realized that placing our marriageable children under RESTRAINT is not in any way the solution but facilitating marriage for them earlier. ‘Children have rights and one of their rights is to get married when they are old enough, and not everybody is the same. You don’t teach somebody how to restrain themselves when it comes to this need because not everybody is the same.’ Yusuf Estes ‘Marriage or Degree - Which Comes First?’

Ø  Dear Sir or Ma, with due respect, the TRIBE or RACE of the suitors is not as important as their FAITH. The Prophet says: ‘If one whose religion and character please you proposes to you, then marry (your daughter to) him. If you do not do so, it will be a cause of trial and vice on the land.’ Hadith 1084, Hassan,  Sahih ul-Jami’-Albaani

Ø  Dear Sir or Ma, with due respect, Islam does not encourage marital relationship without means of sustenance but the emphasis on the FINANCIAL STATUS as a condition for marriage cannot be too pointed up. It is understandable that it is out of your love for us but you can facilitate it for us as some parents are doing. ‘You can do it and we did it in our family, I wanted my daughter to get married, and I knew a boy who needed to get married. They were not ready financially? No. They were not ready according to what we call our standards for education, so we talked to both of them and we worked it out. They could get married, still live with their parents. But when they can be together, they can be together and they can take this pressure off.’ Yusuf (op. cit.)

The Prophet says: ‘Whoever brings up two daughters until they reach puberty (without extramarital touches) shall be very close to me on the day of resurrection.’ Hadith 2631, Sahih Muslim

At this juncture, it is reasonable to leave you with Professor Joseph Price’s FINDING on marriage and academic performance: ‘I find that married men have better outcomes across every measure than single men. Married women do no worse than single women on any measure….’

Islam Says No to Courtship, Yes to Marriage; the Earlier the Better. Act Now!