During the early 1970s – during the days of King Zahir Shah – Afghanistan was a more open society than now. Schools were available for boys and girls. Ladies could wear the burka or not wear it. In Kabul many ladies wore European clothing.
Still, Islamic values were adhered to.
In this connection let me tell you an interesting wedding that I attended. The daughter of my Assistant (well, actually he was much older than me and they called him ‘Mudir Sahib’ (Director) not me) (so I was the Chief Accountant and he was the ‘Mudir’). Anyway, his daughter married the son of an ex-Minister of Defense (under King Zahir Shah).
The marriage ceremony took place in a hotel. There were may be 250 or so guests. It was a ‘mixed party’, although as usual in Muslim countries automatically the ladies would shift to one side of the room and the men to the other.
The actual ‘Nikah’ (legal marriage ceremony) also took place in the hotel. A Mullah was sitting in one end of the room and some people started to gather around. More and more in fact. I was asking what was going on. Apparently the grooms family and the father of the bride were negotiating the ‘Haq Mahar’ (the amount of the amount that would go to the bride). Apparently they could not agree on the ‘price’ and tension was mounting.
All of a sudden the tension ‘collapsed’. What had happened?
The father of the bride (my colleague) kept refusing the ‘offer’. The ‘price’ offered was increased and increased. The father of the bride said: “and this is what you think my daughter is worth”? Frankly speaking I do not remember the amount which was last offered. It was a big amount anyway.
When the father of the bride kept ‘not approving’ finally in desperation he was asked to ‘name his price’.
When the tension was nearly unbearable he said: THIRTY THREE AFGHANIS (about two dollars in those days). The tension collapsed and he was asked why he came up with this figure.
He mentioned : “Either you will treat my daughter well and then she will not need any amount as Haq Mahar, or you will not treat her well and no amount will compensate her for her unhappyness”.
A memorable Afghan Wedding indeed! And we could still learn a lesson from my dear old colleague… (May he rest in peace (he died in the meantime)…. May his daughter live happily ever after…
Categories: Afghanistan, Asia, Islam, Sharia, Sharia Law
So very true
May Allah bless you for narrating this story.Facts are quite evident.
Nice share. In those days people used rational sentiments with “taqwa” piety and tawakkal i.e putting hope on God. Now a days these qualities are the tales of the past. Those were the realistic people, today world is very fake and greedy.