Hey, girls. Are you from Saudi Arabia? Do you want to get a scholarship to study abroad? No problem! But first, you have to have a male companion to go with you, since you’re leaving one of the most female-unfriendly nations on the planet. What’s that you say? Can’t find a male guardian to accompany you for three or four years while you study? No problem! Just find yourself a husband, and presto! You’ve got that scholarship. And a husband, too, how cool is that? So what if you don’t know him, like him, or love him. Problem solved.
Women students aspiring to go abroad on scholarships as part of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program were told last month that they would be unable to leave the Kingdom without a legal companion in the form of a husband, brother, or father — something that has caused an increase in a form of marriage dubbed the “mesfaar marriage†(the travel marriage).
Thirteen students have so far announced their intentions to get married solely for the purpose of being able to travel abroad and qualify for the scholarship program. The students say their family circumstances make it difficult for their brothers and fathers to accompany them abroad for long periods of time, sometimes three or four years.
“After learning about the requirements that women students need to have a male guardian in order to go abroad, some friends and I decided to get married. We announced that we were hoping to marry quickly in order to meet the deadline for our scholarship applications,†said an applicant of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
Speaking about the name of the marriage, student Zuleykha (not her real name) said: “The name was coined because we announced that we wanted to get married in order to travel abroad. That’s why it’s called the mesfaar marriage.â€
According to Zuleykha, mesfaar marriages are perfectly legal and do not contradict principles of Islamic marriage. “They are in accordance with normal marriage conditions, which include the acceptance of the marriage from both sides, the attendance of witnesses, marriage registration, the consent and knowledge of families from both sides and the dowry,†she said, adding, “We don’t care so much about the name of the marriage as long as it’s according to Islamic norms.â€
Wow. They’re getting married so they can get a scholarship. Gee, it’s just like deciding which laptop to buy for Western women. Except that it’s not.
Once again, I’m thinking those people who insist that Islam has a history of being good to women are, well, delusional.
Muslims wish everyday that the world would stop viewing Islam as being biased towards women and instead look back to the history of how women elevated through Islam along the years with the moral values and the character that can help them survive in today’s world.
It would help if you didn’t do things like force women to get married so they can qualify for a scholarship to study abroad.