‘Why funding mass marriages is government responsibility’ – Gumi

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says it is the responsibility of the government to use public funds to support marriage arrangements in states operating under Shariah law.

In a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, Gumi argued that governments in Shariah-governed societies have a duty to address social needs arising from the prohibition of sexual relationships outside marriage.

The Islamic scholar noted that government intervention to assist people who cannot afford marriage should be viewed as part of responsible governance, especially where prostitution, fornication, adultery and promiscuity are prohibited by both religious principles and state laws.

According to him, public resources could legitimately be used to support young people in urgent need of marriage, as well as women who face limited opportunities to find suitable spouses.

“In a Shariah law-driven state, where prostitution, fornication, adultery, and promiscuity are prohibited by both divine and state laws, using public funds to facilitate the marriage of women who are in excess of the available pool of eligible men, or of any young person in dire need of marriage, is a legitimate and responsible component of good governance,” he wrote.