The Daily Sigh

Forced Marriage Is NOT Islamic

No clever title this time. (FORCED) arranged marriage is romanticized on this site often. That's a problem. The trend in stories atm is abusive husband/boss, but there are still those but the beginning is still basically "oh Ms innocent Muslimah was forced by her parents (in exchange for xyz material item or social status or family agreement) and has to marry Knuckles McMoneybags and she complies to make them happy or is forced into it. STOP THAT CRAP.

Let's have a read of this and see another example of what really happens in these scenarios. There is no, "hey marry this handsome young prodigy who you're gonna somehow fall in love with despite him being unseasonably cruel to you."

Nope. Marry this unattractive old fart. And yes, I know marriage and love aren't based on looks alone but that's a rant for another time, right now I just mean to say that the romanticized stories where the girl can't help but internally swoon at the sight of his smirk and abs are faker than Mr tRump's tan. Others have pointed out incidents and true narratives of girls who did fall into the marriage and their tragic tales after. Have a read about those oh so amazing parents people love in these wattpad stories where the character must appease them because they're sooo great and just... okay just read guys:

A 16-year-old Texas girl ran away from home in hopes of escaping being forced to marry an older man,San Antonio TV station KSAT reports.

The teenager’s parents, Abdulah Fahmi Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were reportedly set to receive $20,000 compensation for the arranged marriage. When their daughter Maarib refused, they allegedly began to choke the teen, beating her and pouring hot cooking oil on her. The teenager tried to escape the abuse by running away from home in January.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says the mother and father were arrested Friday on family violence charges. “This young lady, at various times over that time period was subjected to some pretty bad abuse because she didn’t want to be married to this person,” Salazar said on Friday at a press conference. Maarib had been reported missing in late January and wasn’t found until mid-March. The sheriff said she had been safely in the care of another organization while she was missing.

“Several times it was reported to us that this young lady was abused with hot cooking oil being thrown on her body. She was beat with broomsticks,” Salazar added. “At least at one point, she was choked almost to the point of unconsciousness.”

The teen was found and placed with Child Protective Services alongside her five other siblings, who are between five and 15 years old. The family moved to the U.S. from Iraq two years ago. Police have not confirmed that the other siblings have been subject to abuse, but Salazar believes other charges will be filed in the case.

The sheriff’s office and the FBI announced they were investigating her disappearance in February, after the teen failed to return home from school on Jan. 30. Police said the man who had arranged to be married to the teen may also be charged.

Steps are being taken to protect children from entering these marriages. Earlier this month, a new law was passed in Florida which makes it illegal for anyone under 17 to marry. This was thanks to the efforts of Sherry Johnson, a survivor of rape and child marriage. At the age of nine, Johnson was allegedly raped by a church deacon. After she gave birth at only 10 years old, she was forced to marry him.

“My heart is happy,” Johnson said afterward. “My goal was to protect our children and I feel like my mission has been accomplished. This is not about me. I survived.”

The parents of a 16-year-old Texas girl were arrested Friday for allegedly pouring hot cooking oil on her body after she refused an arranged marriage, authorities said.

Abdulah Fahmi Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Saha Al Hishmawi, 33, are accused of physically abusing their daughter, Maarib Al Hishmawi, who has been reported missing since Jan. 30.

“The only way that this young lady could bring an end to this abuse was to verbally agree to become a party to this marriage,” Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Friday.

Maarib’s parents beat her with broomsticks, choked her until she was unconscious, and poured hot oil on her because she did not want to get married, he added.

She was found safe in mid-March after being taken in by an organization. The teen was placed in Child Protective Services with her five siblings, the sheriff said. It wasn’t clear if her siblings were also abused.

Talks about the arranged marriage started last year. Maarib, who was 15 at the time, was set to marry a man in another city in exchange for $20,000, Salazar said.

The family moved to the United States from Iraq two years ago, according to KSAT-TV.

Maarib’s parents face charges of continuous family violence. The man Maarib was supposed to marry could also face charges. The FBI is investigating the case.