Islam, Forced Marriages and Pakistani Culture: An Analytical Overview

Abstract

Matrimony is famous as a civil contract but it is a fact that this is also a religious and spiritual contract between the spouses which gives a chance to live happily and lawfully in the public in each of them. In Pakistani Society, parents and guardians are used to set up the matrimony publicly as a reverent family event through conferring their blessings and guidance for deciding about a life partner. They are the one who mostly choose the partner for their sons and daughters. In Islam, it is called "Wilā yah”. A father, grandfather or sometime brother usually performs as Walī according to Islamic Sharia. However, it is noticed that the parents or guardians do not give importance to the will of couple and decide the fate of the couple forcefully.