‘One Country – One Law’

The Muslims are allowed religious freedom under our Constitution, with regard to their rituals and those concerned with sacred matters, religion and the mosque. Any other social interactions – like marriage, and other interactions with human society and its members, must be subject to the laws of this country

By Zulkifli Nazim

The hot subject under discussion today: The Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act. 

We were monitoring the discussions, press releases and conspicuous loud comments from certain Muslims, who have no knowledge of the subject. We have also seen a few politicians and some so-called preachers, who too are lacking knowledge in the fundamentals and nascent of the prevailing chaos and bedlam, trying to voice their emotions and sentiments and trying to create an upheaval, disturbance and disorder.

It is an established fact that no woman will agree to share her lawful husband with another woman.

The Tunisian Government, an Islamic State, has banned polygamy and they initiated this in 2012. Many other countries are in the process of following suit.

Here is an excerpt of what the Tunisian ladies feel about polygamy:

Quote (Regarding the most welcome ban) – “I do not think that women in Tunisia will give up this gain easily, because the Tunisian woman is a jealous one and will never be satisfied that her husband has a second woman in his life other than her,” Aisha Youssef commented.

Rim Azzabi considered that polygamy would undermine family stability and create unnecessary social tragedies. “Marriage is a relationship of friendship, convergence and integrated partnership, and responsibility between women and men,” she said.

Her husband Jamel Bahri agreed with her, saying: “For me, I cannot marry a second, even if I can afford it. One is enough, the number is not important. What is important is peace of mind and the good rearing of the offspring. This is my happiness.” Unquote (Source – Maghrebia – 10 September 2012.)

Morocco has reformulated a New Islamic Family Law.

Based on all this, we think it is high-time that we too legislate proper laws declaring the second marriage a ‘bigamy’ and must be criminally prosecuted when a legal marriage exists and is in force 

The men in the Muslim Community as well as men from other communities have abused this Muslim Marriages and Divorces Laws for decades and it is time to put a stop to it now. Even while having a legal wife, they embrace Islam and get married to a second wife – even those who are not Muslims, if they have an idea of getting married a second time under this so-called ‘law’ they embrace Islam and marry a second time – this we have seen happen a bit too often and in this country, this has become a joke and a farce.

Based on all this, we think it is high-time that we too legislate proper laws declaring the second marriage a ‘bigamy’ and must be criminally prosecuted when a legal marriage exists and is in force.

The Muslims are allowed religious freedom under our Constitution, with regard to their rituals and those concerned with sacred matters, religion and the mosque. Any other social interactions – like marriage, and other interactions with human society and its members, must be subject to the laws of this country.

We are for ‘One Country – One Law’.