MARRIAGE

Marriage

Compare & Contrast Uk Attitudes To Marriage With Bangladeshis Muslim Culture

Introduction

According to the 2001 census, the majority of the Bangladeshi population is based in the London and southeast area. There are approximately 140,000 with most originating from the Sylhet area of Bangladesh. Approximately three quarters of this population live in the Borough of Tower Hamlets, where they represent 33% of the population, with smaller communities in Camden, Newham and Westminster. The Bangladeshi community from Sylheti has a distinct dialect and a strong cultural identity. It is recognized as a tight knit with strong internal communication networks and traditional core values that centre on the family, community and business. The Bangladeshi population is one of the youngest in the UK with a high percentage of women in the 15-29 age range. There are some strong recurring factors to be found in the Bangladeshi communities.

Whereas in UK, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has carried out a wide variety of research on this community. Looking at their findings, several characteristics are evident. In terms of community, there is a preference to live in multi-generational households. Many live in wards with a predominately minority ethnic population and are most likely to live in the most deprived wards. (Shehabuddin 2005:1044) There is an expectation in the older generation that the custom of arranged marriages is kept and that traditional divisions of labour within households are maintained. There is also concern to ensure children have access to cultural or religious activities.

Discussion

The goal of married life within Islam is much greater than bringing two consenting adults together, it is to build a stable, loving and secure family unit to nurture future generations. However, the ideal of marriage can often be tainted by duress and family loyalties and examples of forced marriages, illegitimacy and honour killings are sadly rife within our community, although these issues are often brushed under the carpet. (Jansen 2001:73)

A forced marriage may be defined as a marriage without consent and is unacceptable under both UK and Islamic law, where mutual consent is a prerequisite to any marriage. Forced marriages are typically associated with the Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim Community. Forced marriages arise primarily as a result of a clash of interests and cultures between parents, born and brought up in the Indian Sub-continent, and British born children.

For parents, living as a minority community in Britain, away from their homeland, can often make finding suitable marriage partners for their children a stressful process. Also due to promises made to family, children can often find themselves being used by their parents as 'pawns' to marry their children to nieces and nephews “back home”. Parents' ability to force their marriage choices onto their children can often be reinforced by the attitudes of local Imams, who share the cultural norms and values of Muslim parents. (Arabi 2001:10)

It is important for youth to be educated about marriage in Islam and although they should be given free will over choice of a spouse, they should also appreciate ...