Ayuba Abubakar, the judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court, has expressed worry over the high rate of divorce among young couples in the FCT.

Mr Abubakar was speaking at the Annual Ramadan Lecture organised by the Afemai Islamic Movement in Abuja on Sunday with the theme ‘The Role of Parent in Raising God-fearing Children’.

The scholar called on parents to ensure they follow the Islamic regulations before giving their children out in marriage.

According to him, most parents don’t follow the instructions of the Holy Quran but only follow their children’s bidding when the issue of marriage arises.

”As a judge, we are having a high rate of divorce, especially the rate in the FCT is so alarming, young couples in two years, three years marriage, dragged themselves to courts. And we discovered that in so many of it there is no other way than to just separate them to live in peace,” stated the magistrate.

Mr Abubakar added, “The implication is that if we don’t follow the Islamic regulation by making prayers to Allah for guidance and follow the Islamic teaching, their will be domestic problems. This teaching is for the husband to know his duty and his rights and for the wife to lower her duty and rights and by the time you think of those rules, it is to bring harmony in our homes.”

He explained that though Islamically, divorce was acceptable, but stressed it was also detestable.

Mr Abubakar charged parents to take a lead role in their children’s decision in choosing a marriage mate.

“As a Muslim, you must ensure that your home is an Islamic home, a home where you recite the Quran, a home where you take turn to gather the children and teach them the word of Allah. You teach them the words of the prophets and not just allow them to fully have western education but add Islamic education to it as this will guarantee your children will be pious Muslims,” he added.

The chairman of the board of trustees of the Afemai Islamic Movement, Momodu Kadiri, said the aim of the movement was to promote Islam among the Edo people in Abuja and Muslims across the country.

Mr Kadiri urged Muslims to work together to promote the good course of Islam. He said the movement which started in 2001.

The Afemai is an ethnic group in the northern part of Edo, South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

They occupy six local government areas of Etsako West, with headquarters in Auchi, Etsako Central, Etsako East, Owan East, Owan West and Akoko Edo. 

(NAN)