Muslim Brotherhood & Misogyny “Question about the legality of forbidding interstate marriage”

Cairo – Questions related to women’s issues are an important and significant theme in the Fatwa Section of Al-Dawah (The Call) Magazine, as they exceed in number all other Fatwas related to Copts, politics, and art.

In issue No. 25 of Al-Dawah Magazine, released in June 1978, Sheikh Idris Al-Hassan from Sudan asks:

Is it legally permissible for a Muslim country to forbid interstate marriage [i.e. Marriage among Muslims from different countries]?

The answer comes as more political rather than religious:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: “If there comes to you one with whose character and religious commitment you are pleased, then marry (your daughter or female relative under your care) to him, for if you do not do that there will be Fitnah (temptation) in the land and widespread corruption.'”

The difference of nationality or country is not a reason to prevent interstate marriage. When a Muslim possesses righteous conduct and upright character, while able to support his family, nothing would prevent him from marrying those he wishes, who are licit and lawful to him.

I think – my brother inquirer – the behavior you referred to in some Islamic countries is due to reasons other than the legal preventives [of marriage]. There is no doubt that restricting the permissible is duly lawful if common interest demands so. [1]

Critique:

In fact, the Prophetic Hadith is clear in determining the conditions of the legal and equal marriage that cannot be prohibited, namely religiousness and good manners.  The author of the Fatwa himself stresses that the difference in nationality is not a good reason to oppose marriage, and the fatwa soon concludes that such a prohibition is permissible and allowed when necessary.  The ruler and social norms typically determine what ‘necessity’ might be. The countries that restrict marriage are well known, and it is not in the best “interest” of the Brotherhood to anger or criticize its policies that usually collide with true teachings of the religion. From here, the Brotherhood resorted to the correct, juristic rule that they do not employ when discussing other issues, which are no less important than this one.

At the end of the day, it is politics, not religion, which plays the biggest role in shaping the fatwa. The Brotherhood’s position on women in general, is rather politically-motivated, yet in the attire of religion, to lend credence and cover up political aspect of their tailored Fatwas whose social roots are inextricably interlinked with this worldly affairs.

Dr. Abdel Rehim Ali, an Egyptian Journalist and Member of Parliament, is an expert on Islamist Movements and political Islam. Ali is a member of Egypt’s Press Syndicate, head of the Arab Center for Journalism in Egypt and chairperson & Editor-in-Chief of Al-Bawaba Newspaper and Portal. He is also an Egyptian MP and head of the Arab Center for Research and Studies (ACRS) in Cairo and Paris.

[1]Issue No. 25 of Al-Dawah magazine, released in August 1978.