File photo : A couple
Contrary to widespread perceptions, inter-religious marriages are absolutely beautiful. The beauty of such marriages also stems from the fact that there are so many things to learn and appreciate about one another.
The diversity, the similar beliefs, practices and even the similarities one can spot between our holy books will have you yearning to know more and for any such relationship that is underlined by love, the desire to understand the faith of a spouse is even greater.
Mainly focusing on marriages between Muslims and Christians, this writeup will expand on the fact that it is absolutely normal for two people from different religious backgrounds, who understand each other, to get married without necessarily jeopardizing their individual beliefs.
Without a doubt, the society we live in is ruled by the supremacy of patriarchy, which requires, for instance in such a marriage scenario, that the women are made to completely give up their religions and take up that of husbands – a very common practice in Islam. But the practice is not always so.
Peculiar differences, disagreements and moments of misunderstanding may abound in these forms of unions but it still does not take away the beauty that bonds such couples together.
1.Freedom of religion
Love is a universal language of sacrifice and in many cases, compromise. The same mindset goes into such unions between two people of completely different faiths. And because love understands and is patient, many couples like this rather get the freedom to continue in their faith and to worship as they please.
Just like the two imperfect beings they are already, coming into a union of a lifetime, they are able to learn to appreciate and eventually welcome the distinctiveness in living with a person of different faiths and beliefs. It is not such a gloomy experience as it may seem to be a long as there is mutual respect for what each one does.
2.Broad knowledge of different religions
The cycle of learning never stops and even for a marriage between a Muslim and Christian, that urge is magnified more. Consciously or unconsciously, married couples teach each other things and also, learn quite a bit about each other’s separate beliefs. That is, the beauty those kinds of unions birth. The Muslim spouse learns how to live and relate with the Christian spouse as much as the reverse is the case. It’s called compromise and that largely defines what makes such unions beautiful.
3.Able to adapt in an environment that practices either religions
The advantage for such a spouse in this kind of union is that they become accustomed to how people of his or her spouse’s faith or environment relate and interact. Without such prior knowledge, people might overstep or offend others in ways they didn’t know.
That is also not to say that without a union of marriage of this nature, such foreknowledge cannot be acquired but there is also no denying the fact that marriage helps a spouse to appreciate these matters and peculiarities better. Children who are produced from such unions also grow up to relate easily, adapting to each environment of either parents when the need arises.
Inter-religious marriages may not always be perfect, but they portray their own beauty; the same beauty that defines what love truly is.
