A renowned Kano-based Islamic Scholar Sheik Aliyu Yunus has advised Kano state government to postpone its planned mass wedding of 1,500 couples slated for today, (Sunday).
He insisted that the Government should either hold it on Sallah day or any other preferable day after the holy month of Ramadan.
The Kano State Government through a statement by Mr Abba Anwar, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State had said that arrangements have been concluded to conduct mass wedding for 1,500 prospective couples across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Anwar said the couples passed through different stages of screening before they got to the final wedding stage. He said N20,000 would be given by the state government as dowry for every bride, amounting to N30 million for the 1,500 couples.
“While dowry would be paid, it is also part of the magnanimous engagement by the state government that complete sets of beds, side mirrors, wardrobes and mattresses would all be provided to each couple.
“A complete set of cushion chairs would also be given to each and every couple, which includes 3-Seater chair and other side chairs. Window blinds and plastic carpet will also be provided.
“New clothing materials, popularly called ‘Shadda’ would be provided for all the would-be husbands, so that they appear as happily wedded grooms, showcasing their happiness to families, friends and well-wishers,’’ he said. Anwar said it was the hope of the government that what is provided for the couples would go a long way in serving as relief for them after the marriage.
But Sheik Yunus, who is the Chief Imam of Usman Bin Affan Juma’at Gadon Gaya Mosque, said though there is no specific time that wedding must take place in Islam, the call became necessary as the wedding date is very close to Ramadan fasting starting from tomorrow where couples are expected not to have sexual intercourse for the complete holy month.
He warned that organising such marriage close to the Ramadan is risky to the newly wedded couples as it is prohibited for Muslims to engage in sexual intercourse while fasting.
According to him, sexual intercourse engagement is not part of the permissive conditions for Muslims to break or skip their fasting and any couple who indulges in it commits a punishable offence in Islam.
He, however, urged the State Islamic Scholars who are the government’s associates to be advising them on such program and policy, adding that if the government insist to go ahead with the planned wedding, the new couples should be emphatically warned on the danger of meeting with each other during Ramadan fasting.
But when contacted, the Kano State Hisbah Board through its Assistant Commander on Special Duties Barrister Nabahani Usman, said there is no going back, assuring that the mass wedding program will hold across the 44 local government areas of the State today.
Nabahani said the board had already mobilized scholars to the 44 local government areas and trained the couples on marriage-related issues and principles as well as the dos and don’ts of couples during pasting period, hence the issue of what to do to avoid sexual intercourse during the marriage has been taken care of.
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