Marriage and the family

• All muslims are strongly encouraged to get married
• You strictly can not have sex before marriage
• A muslim man can marry a muslim, jewish or Christian woman. But a muslim woman may only marry a muslim man.
• Non religious responses to marriage-

  Most believe that marriage is something that is not as important and they do accept cohabitation
• source of wisdom and authority for marriage -

  "O mankind, fear you lord, who created you from one soul and created from it is mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women."
• Most muslims believe that homosexual relationships is a sin.
• Source of wisdom and authorty for sexual relations outside of marriage -

  " and they who guard their private parts. except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed."
• Muslims believe the purpose of having a family is to have a strong relationship built on love, forgiveness and mercy.
• The types of familys -

  Nuclear - most muslim familys would see this as the ideal type of family

  Single parent - If someone is divorced or widowed with children

  Same sex parents - If the parents are the same sex, this is not a ideal family in islam

  extended - most muslims would accept this type of family since it offers extra support

  Blended - step parents are expected to treat their children as their own
• Ummah -

  The muslim community
• how does the community try and support familys -

  Worship - can pray to allah to help familys

  Rites of passage - can help support single muslims in getting married

  Classes for parents - many mosques offer parenting classes to support parents in how to raise their children

  Counselling - qualified muslims can offer fellow muslims mental health support and guidance
• source of wisdom and authority for the ummah-

  " and hold firmly to the rope of allah all together and do not become divided"
• Some muslims believe that both forms of contraception, artificial and natural, are acceptable, but some see it as forbidden becuase the reason for sex is to procreate (give birth)
• Divorce is seen as something that is not encouraged, but is allowed by law
• After being divorced the man and woman are free to remarry as they please.
• Most muslims believe that divorce should be prevented if there is a way a marriage can be stopped from breakig down, divorce wouild be last resort.