Religious individuals assert that the West and its values have contributed to the deterioration of the family unit and an increase in divorce rates. However, this argument is flawed.
The reality is that as humans have evolved and become less reliant on their families and tribes for survival, both the family system and tribal system have naturally weakened. This shift is a result of technological advancements and increased access to education and economic opportunities, rather than the granting of liberties to women.
It's unfair to place blame solely on women and their newly recognized human rights. The truth is that Islamic societies have historically exploited women, denying them fundamental rights and freedoms. The West, on the other hand, has worked towards recognizing and protecting these rights, thereby promoting gender equality.
The decline of the extended family system and the rise in divorce rates cannot be attributed to women's empowerment alone; men must also take responsibility for their role in these changes.
Please also note that:
- The divorce rate in Kuwait has reached 60% (link).
- The divorce rate in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and UAE has risen above 35%(link).
- Even in Saudi Arabia, the divorce rate has reached 33%(link).
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Malaysia: Increasing trend of married couples choosing a childfree lifestyle (link)
Islam has remained unchanged in these Arab countries until now, but the countries themselves have become wealthier. Arab women no longer require their husbands' financial support to survive, so they refuse to tolerate exploitation and instead choose to separate through divorce (just like Western women).
In fact, women still don't have full human rights in these Arabic countries, but becoming wealthy has led to a higher divorce rate than in many Western countries.
Why might this be the case?
One possible explanation is that marriages are still arranged in these Arab countries, leaving people little chance to find a suitable partner before getting married. As a result, many arranged marriages turn out to be mismatches, which could contribute to the high divorce rate in these countries.
Contrastingly, in poor, secular countries like Vietnam, the divorce rate remains low due to the necessity of a strong family unit for survival. Similarly, China, an atheist nation, had a low divorce rate for centuries until it experienced economic growth and the need for a robust family system diminished. Now, as Vietnam and China have become wealthier, their divorce rates are also increasing.
In conclusion, the decline of the traditional family structure and the rise in divorce rates are not solely caused by women's liberation or Western influence. Rather, they are the result of broader social, economic, and technological developments that have led to greater individual independence and autonomy.
If Muslim men want to make the rate of divorce ZERO, then they should bear children only from Slave women
There are some Muslims who are such stubborn that they openly say:
"The older system was better where a woman was not allowed to go outside the house. Now they go outside, get education, get self-dependent, and then they try to get their independence from their husbands through divorce. This is the main reason of increase of divorce rate in Islamic countries. This liberty to women should be stopped while children are being effected do to higher divorce rate."
Response:
If these Muslim men have problems with the rate of divorce, then they should not marry women, but they should take only "Slave Women" to their homes and bear children only from them. Please be assured that Islam gave absolutely no human rights to the Slave women. In the case of a free Muslim wife, there are some chances of divorce, but in the case of slave women, your so-called Family System will become perfectly secure, and these slave women will never be able to break your family system.
And if you are unable to get slave women today from the outside world, then just snatch away all the remaining rights from your own free Muslim wives, and convert them into slaves, so that your family system stays stable.
All psychiatrists agree that even a single parent is capable of providing a "good enough upbringing" to children
Children are perfectly safe in Western countries, even in cases of divorce. In the event of a separation, children continue to have regular contact with both their mother and father, and both parents contribute to their upbringing.
While all psychiatrists concur that an intact family system is ideal for children, they also recognize that a single parent can still provide a "good enough upbringing" that allows children to grow into responsible members of society.
This means that even a single mother is capable of providing her children with a standard upbringing.
The home of a single parent is often a better environment for children compared to a household where the mother is subjected to abuse and mistreatment.
Some Islamic preachers may disagree, but it is a reality that many Pakistani/Bengali/Indian Muslim men leave their families behind to work in Gulf countries, resulting in their wives raising their children alone as single parents. These children may not see their fathers for extended periods, yet they still thrive.
However, when the same situation occurs in Europe, then Islamic preachers start claiming that there are numerous issues with single-parent households. They fail to acknowledge that in European societies, fathers typically maintain regular contact with their children, including weekend visits and holiday time, which amounts to more interaction than children of absent fathers in Gulf countries experience.
Please also read this related article: Muslim Preachers: Marriages are broken in the West while premarital sex with different partners takes away their ability to love each other later
Hassan Radwan