Life Within Marriage: Sunni Islam vs. Orthodox Church

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In this essay, Sunnis and Orthodox Christians will be compared in relation to marriage, for which general aspects and reasons for marriage, its rituals and traditions, sacred texts, and the benefit aspect will be used. Actually, marriage in all religions is strongly connected with the issues of sexuality and the place of women in society. In some religions, marriage is strictly regulated and has many prohibitions. In other religions and the most secular cultures, people are more loyal to the conclusion and dissolution of weddings. Religion investigators cannot say that Islam or Christianity humiliates a woman and does not leave any rights to her when it comes to marriage. Modern interpretations of Islam leave some rights for women, but Islamic fundamentalists usually deny them, thus spoiling the impression of Islam in the Western community. The Eastern Christian Church, or the Orthodox Church, is fragmentarily studied in marital matters, so the study of this issue is now considered very relevant. Sunni Muslims and Orthodox Christians have gone through very different ways of perceiving marriage and its meaning, and at present, there are many differences between these religious movements.

Unfortunately, at the moment, young Sunnis sometimes marry before receiving a complete education. Ehtesham (2021) states that “although Islam allows the marriage of a minor Sunni, it has taken special care that the practice of intimacy or cohabitation” (p. 2). It affects society’s general level of education and sometimes makes disappointing forecasts. Sunnis, in general, encourage love marriages, unlike Shiites; they, however, are more pragmatic and allow marriages for financial gain or sexual pleasure (Hasannia, & Masoudian, 2021). Marriages of convenience among Muslims are built into a complex system, which is sometimes condemned by imams and other religious figures.

As for rituals and traditions, Sunnis marry under a qadi (judge), precisely as they dissolve a marriage. Two witnesses (shahidayn) must attend the wedding in good standing. They will sign papers stating that two people are getting married by consent and goodwill. A wali, the guardian of the future wife, can become a participant in the marriage ritual (Badran & Turnbull, 2019). Usually, the wali is the woman’s older brother or her father. Sunnis typically reserve the right for a woman to testify and represent her interests, but there are reservations.

Allah very honored marriage and the Prophet Muhammad was married to a widow. Sunnis often quote the revered Abu said that “when a man looks at his wife and she looks at him, Allah Ta’ala casts his glance of mercy on both of them and when the husband takes hold of her hand then their sins fall away from between their fingers” (Holy Quran, 4:6). Marriage between representatives of different religions is condemned in the Quran; it is accepted by Sunnis and Shiites. For example, “Do not marry polytheist woman until she believes; a slave believing woman is better than polytheist women though she allures you” (Holy Quran, 2:221). These prohibitions are still very strong, and few Muslims break them.

Sunnis disapprove of marriage for profit, but even an amicable marriage provides for the spouse’s maintenance. Allah said that “and give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously” (Holy Quran, 4:4). However, the Shiites agree with them and even create a whole system of temporary marriages, which includes types of temporary marriages such as intimate, mutah, misyar, and urfi (Hasannia & Masoudian, 2021). They are concluded for the joint profit of a woman and a man. These benefits are housing, sexual satisfaction, and most often, financial protection. Urfi is considered the marriage of choice for young Shia Muslims, but this whole system is often criticized in Islamic law (Hasannia & Masoudian, 2021). Sunnis believe that the wife can complain about her husband if she lacks care, and the qadis must support her. With the recognition of the impossibility of providing for a spouse, the marriage is considered officially terminated. The woman is not accused of anything; she is not deprived of the opportunity to remarry.

Orthodox Christians rarely consider marriage outside the context of love and mutual assistance on reaching God and never consider it as a path to sexual satisfaction. In many Orthodox churches, marriage is positioned strictly as the union of a man and a woman (Metso & Kallatsa, 2018). According to Levin (2018), “the didactic literature consistently portrayed sexual desires as of Satanic origin” (p. 49). Marriage is viewed as a repetition of the concept of the church itself, that the family becomes a small church. This allegory extends to the relationship between husband and wife, where the wife must rely on her husband just as people rely on God (Ephesians 5:20-33). Outside the ritual context, the wife is considered a full-fledged assistant for the husband on the path to God. Eve was created from Adam’s rib to walk alongside him on an equal footing. She was not made from his neck or head to tower over him; she was not created from his foot to be humiliated but was created by a God from a rib.

The tradition of marriage in Orthodox Christianity is called coronation in honor of the fact that two witnesses hold crowns over the heads of the newlyweds during the ceremony. These crowns symbolize that the spouses will reign with God over the world. Usually, the ritual is performed in a church with the participation of friends and relatives (Frost, 2020). The priest reads the gospel over the newlyweds and asks them questions if necessary.

Orthodox Christians respect marriage but do not favor remarriage. The Bible says that “in the case of the death of one of the two spouses, the other is admitted to a second marriage without any ecclesiastical process of divorce” (Rom 7:2). Like the Sunnis, the Orthodox justify a second marriage and marriage with a widower or widow, as they deserve happiness after their loss and are not traitors to spouses.

Orthodox do not consider marriages of convenience as full-fledged marriages since they quickly collapse. The achievement of sexual pleasures was also not seen as a benefit in marriage, as “Medieval Slavic pictures of Paradise depict Adam and Eve without sexual characteristics” (Levin, 2018). Calculation and money can quickly lead to adultery, which becomes a shame for both spouses. Orthodox Christians do not have officially established marriage contracts, like Sunnis and Shiites; priests do not deal with financial matters in families. In addition, the Orthodox do not have a developed legal system based on the Bible; therefore, no one can regulate economic issues except for spouses or their relatives.

Sunnis and Orthodox reject marriage for financial gain or sexual gratification. The Orthodox, unlike the Sunnis, do not marry minors. The traditions of Sunnis and Orthodox are similar only in the presence of two witnesses during the wedding ceremony. Otherwise, the marriage ritual and the role of relatives and friends in it differ. The holy books, the Quran, and the Bible interpret marriage differently and justify different motives. The Quran is often more pragmatic and considers the aspects of ordinary life. It makes it easier for women to benefit from Sunni marriages, as they are entitled to benefits there. Orthodox do not recognize the extraction of monetary benefits from marriage; such unions are considered shameful, invalid, and necessarily leading to fornication.

References

Ali, M. M. (2018). Holy Quran. Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam Lahore USA.

Badran, S. Z., & Turnbull, B. (2019). Contemporary temporary marriage: A blog-analysis of first-hand experiences. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 20(2), 241-256. Web.

Ehtesham, N. (2021). An analytical study of Sunni marriage and Islam. Pakistan Journal of Linguistics, 3(3), 1-11.

Frost, C. F. (2020). The Orthodox Church and its social ethos: The aims and accomplishments of For the Life of the World. Ecumenical Trends, 49(5), 1-6.

Hasannia, A., & Masoudian, M. (2021). Temporary marriage among Shiite and Sunni Muslims: Comparative study of ‘Istimtā’, Mut’ah, and Misyār. Temporary and Child Marriages in Iran and Afghanistan, 31–45. Web.

Levin, E. (2018). Sex and society in the world of the Orthodox Slavs 900–1700. Amsterdam University Press.

Metso, P., & Kallatsa, L. (2018). Contemporary and traditional voices: Reactions to same-sex marriage legislation in the evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Orthodox Church of Finland. Exchange, 47(3), 230–257. Web.

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV), 1611.

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Life Within Marriage: Sunni Islam vs. Orthodox Church

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