The Leap: Presenting an Enlightened Path Toward Marriage to Create Greater Social Stability and Personal Happiness

The rising divorce rate is claiming one-third or more of all marriages in Muslim countries. As families disintegrate, couples and their children often suffer misery and financial hardship. This, in turn, contributes to an increasingly unstable society. Most of these marriages fail due to incompatibility between partners. This incompatibility stems from cultural barriers that prevent a couple from thoroughly getting acquainted before marriage. Recognizing this led the author to question and research whether Islam's true intention was to prevent acquaintance before marriage. His findings show how the religion provides flexibility for dealing with new circumstances during new eras and, therefore, how customs and traditions long associated with courtship and marriage may be changed without violating Islamic law. He presents a system for gradual acquaintance between prospective marriage partners that empowers the couple and a levels the playing field between men and women. The system of acquaintance is divided into five stages from introduction through marriage. Each stage is governed by behavioral limitations, conditions, and a fixed time set by mutual agreement by the couple. These fixed periods are renewable if the couple needs more time before moving to the next, more serious stage and allow for a kinder end to relationships than social situations that have no rules. Setting written conditions before marrying is strongly advised to reduce conflict during marriage as well as during and after divorce. Conditions to be considered are listed in an appendix. This book also examines the different types of permanent and temporary Islamic marriages and which elements - proposal, dowry, witnessing, guardianship, competency and age of maturity - are required or optional according to different Islamic sects and schools of thought. The Leap aims to stimulate discussion on how to create and implement a universal system of court