Mombasa: As preparations for the holy month of Ramadhan gather pace, 280 cohabiting couples set to solemnize their marriage in a mass wedding in Mombasa have been given premarital counselling to have solid marriages. Lack of premarital counselling has been cited as critical as most of the divorce cases are a result of inadequate preparation for marriage life.
According to Kenya News Agency, the couples were imparted valuable lessons on communication, conflict resolution mechanisms, and patience. Shufaa Foundation Founder Sheikh Omar Buya emphasized that family is the cornerstone of a country’s development, and for a family to be strong, it is imperative for a couple to be well-prepared for marriage. Couples, he added, are also supposed to provide good parenting to their children.
Sheikh Buya highlighted that most societal problems, including security, economics, and conflicts, stem from failed marriages. He explained that failed marriages can lead to children losing direction, ending up in the streets, and resulting in the emergence of juvenile gangs. The one-day premarital counselling workshop in Nyali Sub-County is a precursor to the national Muslim mass wedding slated for Saturday. Sheikh Buya explained that the workshop aims to provide couples with valuable marriage insights to ensure peaceful married life. He compared the necessity of marriage education to the knowledge required to steer a vessel or for a farmer to realize a bountiful harvest.
He also mentioned that couples would be screened for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Sheikh Buya explained that the objective of the mass wedding is to ease the burden on couples who have been unable to officiate their marriages due to financial constraints. He noted that many youths loathe marriage because they do not want to take on responsibility.
Sheikh Hussein Bute commented on the sanctity of marriage in Islam, stating that it prevents indecorous behaviors and preserves lineage. He noted that many youths delay marriage due to financial concerns, although scholars argue that income should not prevent one from getting married.
Abdalla Baya, a Bamburi resident, expressed his excitement for the opportunity to marry his girlfriend of nine years, with whom he has one child. He stated that the valuable lessons from the workshop would enable them to live peacefully. Similarly, Amina Thomas, who cohabited with her boyfriend for four years, thanked the organizers for providing conflict resolution mechanisms that will help them resolve misunderstandings in their marriage.