Divorce: FOMWAN CALLS ON PARENTS TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN ON LIVING BETTER MARITAL LIFE … Collaborates Sultan Bello Mosque On Training Parents, Care – Givers

Divorce: FOMWAN CALLS ON PARENTS TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN ON LIVING BETTER MARITAL LIFE

… Collaborates Sultan Bello Mosque On Training Parents, Care – Givers

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, North-West, NIgeria

The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria ( FOMWAN) has stressed on the need for parents to educate their children on living a better marital life which would help in saving many marriages, as there are lots of divorce cases in the society today.

This call was made during a lecture organized over the weekend at the Sultan Bello Mosque Kaduna to educate and awaken parents and care givers of their responsibilities towards their children.

The guest speaker, Permanent Commissioner, Hajiya Khadijah Hawajo Gambo fielding questions from journalists shortly after her lecture where she reminded parents on what the religion Islam says about marriage and the importance of good parenting had in her lamentation attributed the high rate of divorce in our society to the collapse in our marital system.

Marriage no longer follow the principles and injunctions laid down in the Quran.

She lamented.

Rather, most marriages are based on material gains instead of the good virtues emphasized in the holy book.

“When marriage is based on how much you can pick or how much l can get, then you have missed the whole thing. Most women now, their consideration is about how much you have in your account, what position you occupy, who your father is and the rest of it. So also is with the men.

“They want to marry the daughter of this, the father has this or she has this. So is all about how much you can gain from the woman. So because of all these, a lot of  things are going bad.

When the marriage is based on piety, the fear of God, the better. This is very important. This is Ibadah (Worship).

We have a lot of responsibilities to discharge to our children as parents. Make sure as parents you guide your children. aright”

Still lamenting as she blamed most parents for not showing their children the right path to tow. Many of these children, she said, emulate their parents who are corrupt and have ill-gotten wealth.

Both the husband  and the wife have a big role to play by living an exemplary life for the sake of their children.

“A man who marries a woman not for the sake of Allah will divorce her because those things are no longer there. The same goes for the man too.”

Hajiya Khadijah though not totally against one being financially bouyant said it should not be used as the yardstick for marriage.

“Riches are good but principally, marriage is religion. It is an act of lbadah.”

Supporting it with the words of the Holy Prophet (SAW) she said.

“Like the Prophet (SAW) suscribe, what l should consider in you is, beauty, religion, and good character. Any other thing is secondary.”

Speaking, Chairperson,  FOMWAN Kaduna Branch, Pharm. Aisha Isyaku Tukur said the association came up with the idea of setting up a marriage Counselling Committee in order to senstise parents and care-givers on ways in which husbands and wives can make their marriages work.

By so doing, the rate of divorce which has become rampant will be brought to its minimal level. Most youth who go into marriage  these days have little or no knowledge of what marriage entails as such the need for this marriage counseling committee.

FOMWAN has set up a marriage counseling Committee and we decided that before we start the counselling services, we gather parents, care-givers men and women and give them a lecture sensitizing them on how to train their children to be good husbands and wives.

We believe that is the beginning of all issues. You need to get good parenting, good upbringing before you are able to train your child to be good wife and good husband.

Hajiya Aisha Harping on the issue of good upbringing of our children said the insecurity problem we are witnessing today is part of poor parenting because is the youths that are carrying out these vices. If proper discipline is inculcated in them by their parents, hardly can one use them as a tool for destruction.

She charged parents to live up to their responsibilities. According to her, ” remember, what you give, is what you get. We need both husbands and wives to be good parents so that their children will grow up to emulate whatever good practices being done in their homes “

In her advice, she charged parents to always give the children listening ear,  be their friends in order that they can confide in them whenever they have problems instead of seeking advise from outsider. Such could be dangerous to the child. She warned.

Also speaking, FOMWAN Chairperson, Marriage Counselling Committee, Hajiya Fatima Atiku Mustapha tasked parents especially the mothers to impact on their children the teachings of the religion Islam in order that they can grow up with the fear of Allah, become discipline and good citizens.

She said lslam encourages good deeds.

“It is compulsory for us to strive to see that our deeds, activities, and acts are in conformity with the injunctions of the Quran and teaching of Rasulillah” (SAW)

She said.

We must relate peacefully with one another as such should imbibe it in our children, stressing that Islam emphasis good neighborliness irrespective of tribe or religion.

” Islam has laid emphasis on good neighborliness. Whether the person is a Muslim or non Muslim. If your neighbor is in sorrow, go and greet them. If they are in happiness, rejoice with them. That is what Islam says. If someone is cheating his/her neighbor, doing something bad to the neighbor, there is that tendency of that person going to hell fire”. She stated.