It Is Legitimate And Responsible – Gumi Backs Use Of State Funds For Mass Weddings In Sharia States

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has applauded the use of public funds to support marriage arrangements in states operating under Shariah law.

Gumi argued that the practice is a legitimate and responsible component of good governance.

Naija News reports that the cleric’s submission comes amid a state-sponsored wedding for 1,500 couples by the Kano government.

Speaking via a statement shared on Facebook on Thursday, Gumi argued that governments in Shariah-governed societies have a duty to address social needs arising from the prohibition of sexual relationships outside marriage.

According to him, where prostitution, fornication, adultery and promiscuity are prohibited by both religious principles and state laws, government intervention to assist people who cannot afford marriage should be viewed as part of responsible governance.

He said public resources could legitimately be used to support young people in urgent need of marriage, as well as women who face limited opportunities to find suitable spouses.

“In a Shariah law-driven state, where prostitution, fornication, adultery, and promiscuity are prohibited by both divine and state laws, using public funds to facilitate the marriage of women who are in excess of the available pool of eligible men, or of any young person in dire need of marriage, is a legitimate and responsible component of good governance,” he said.