Well Done on picking up on another relevant issue MPACUK !!!

Assalaam walaikum and Greetings

For the benefit of the readers, there is a difference between FORCED marriage and ARRANGED marriage. They are fundamentally different.

An ARRANGED MARRIGAE is where the parents or relations introduce a prospective partner to the single persons. The single persons meet (normally, with an elder present) several times and the single persons AGREE (without force) that they would be interested in marrying each other. Arrangements are made and marriage then takes place with the FULL CONSENT of the two single people. NO compulsion is involved here.

A FORCED MARRIAGE is where the parent or relations dictate whom the single person is to be married to and the person has no say in the matter. Such a person is typically put under mental strain such as listening to threats of being thrown out, a parent threatening to harm themselves if their child does not listen to them, being locked up, physically abused, etc.

FORCED MARRIAGE has no basis in Islam, and ISLAM does not recognise a marriage where the marrying couple have not willing given their full consent to the marriage of their OWN FREE WILL.

In this respects, I too condemn FORCED MARRIAGEs. It is a cultural issue mainly perpretrated in the SOUTH ASIA continents and I would like to see the guilty parties heavily sentenced.

To my mind, forced marriages involve some/all of the following

1) Parents demanding that they marry a person from within family circles, rather than 'outside', even though that relation may have a dubious character.

2) Parents wishing a certain relative to come into the UK and using (forced) marriage to their children as the means to get them into this country.

3) Parents wishing to keep property and monies within family circles. "NO OUTSDIERS ALLOWED", mentality.

4) The notion that since the parents put up with this then the children need to do so too.

5) Quick fix to the issue of a rebellious child who wishes to marry no-one.


While education is the key, and Mosques are the perfect place where this can be taught, I do not think relying upon members of the community to inform the Police or other organisations of such matters is going to help, unless confidentiality can be preserved.

For one thing, I believe forced marriages do happen with the full knowledge of certain (influential) members of the community who wish to 'hide' this from the press in case it brings 'shame on the community'. As a result, forced marriages continue as no one is challenging this vile act.

Others, such as close friends or relations, will not talk to the Police even though it is happening before their eyes, in case they are considered as a 'grass' and thus shunned by the community.

So, the only way to tackle this is to create laws to stop this act and severely punish the people involved, where it is proven that they mentally or physically tortured their children to marry a certain individual.

And believe me, some parents and relations are quite capable of doing this to their nearest and dearest.

I used the words "proven" carefully because some rebellious children may use such a law to their advantage to 'shut-up' their parents, when the parents ask them about marriage as a consideration.

Wasalaams and regards

The BBC's potrayal of this does not show us in a good light, especially showing young girls wearing hijaabs.

Not being Asian, I am fed up of having to explain over and over again to people that Islam is against forced marriages, and that it is a cultural innovation. I shall print the above out and just hand it to them from now on. Even my friends and colleagues will be able to understand this surely!

How long before this hysteria laden bandwagon reaches the stage where they start to treat Asian women as surrogate mothers for the state and once children reach a certain age then the state takes over the looking after of their children to be taken care of by paid agents of the state.

Not good for the family set up.

i think it is worth repeating that despite the excessive claims being made by some politicians and of course routinely the news media, nobody could evidence the allegations and claims as to the degree of the problem of forced marriages.

as one labour politician said the reports were and are 'evidence light.

it should also be stated that these alleged 'disappearances' are for many reasons not just as a consequence of forced marriages.

yes it does happen and yes it needs to be stopped, both india and pakistan have laws that make forced marriages illegal.

now why is it that the media chose to highlight with respect to muslims whereas the report authors state that is is from all communities and across continents?