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By Muinat Usman
Bad company, disobedience and intolerance have been identified as some of the factors contributing to marital breakdown in society.
A Lagos-based Islamic scholar, Imam Sanni Yusuf, stated this while delivering a lecture at a marital gathering organised by Mawadah Consult in collaboration with the International Foundation for Waqf Development at the FOMWAN Hall, Ilorin.
Imam Yusuf explained that couples must be willing to adjust their attitudes to accomodate eachother’s differences to make their marriage work.
He however pointed out that irreconcilable indifferences amongst couples could lead to divorce and warned people against stigmatisation of divorcees.
Imam Yusuf explained that while tolerance and mutual understanding could help preserve marriages, divorce might become necessary when the misconduct of either partner makes the union unsustainable.
Also speaking, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin, Dr. Mahmud Musa, advised couples to uphold fidelity, openness and mutual understanding in their relationships.
Dr. Musa who described lawful intimacy between married couples as an act of worship, advised spouses to avoid infidelity and communicate their needs freely to strengthen their unions.
Similarly, Professor Hamdallat Yusuf of the University of Ilorin called on married to control their anger, avoid abusive language and treat their wives with respect.
Professor Yusuf also urged men practising polygyny to demonstrate fairness, compassion and consideration for their wives, while encouraging Muslim women to understand the practice within the context of Islamic teachings.
Earlier, the convener of the gathering, Mallam Abdul-Lateef Abdullahi, said the programme was organised to promote healthy marriages and equip couples with the knowledge needed to sustain their unions.
Mallam Abdullahi advised couples to resolve disagreements in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence and seek appropriate guidance before conflicts escalate.
In a keynote address, a legal practitioner, Abdulwahab Elesin, described marital breakdown as a societal challenge that cuts across cultural boundaries and called for collective efforts to address its causes.
Mr Elesin said religious lectures and counselling sessions could help reshape attitudes towards marriage, adding that divorce should be considered a last resort after efforts to resolve marital disputes fail.
In a remark, the National Coordinator of the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, called on elders and religious leaders to intensify premarital and post-marital counselling, particularly for newlyweds.
Alhaji Abdullahi stressed that regular guidance from experienced couples and religious leaders would help young spouses understand their responsibilities, manage disagreements and prevent avoidable marital crises.
