The 33rd annual Sunni Ijtema began in Mumbai on Friday afternoon with a session exclusively for women.
Addressing the gathering, the largest Sunni religious congregation in India, Maulana Shakir Noorie, founder of Sunni Dawate Islami (SDI), the organiser of the event, delivered the keynote address, emphasising the critical role of modesty (haya) in preserving the institution of marriage and the moral fabric of society.
He said that social media is setting 'unrealistic expectations' between spouses, fostering dissatisfaction that frequently leads to extramarital affairs and the breakdown of families.
The first day of the gathering that will conclude on Sunday, also focused on women's empowerment, with scholars Allama Qamruzzaman Khan Azmi and Mufti Nizamuddin Sahab addressing the themes of education and legal rights for women in Islam.
The scholars dismantled misconceptions, asserting that Islam guarantees women the right to education, financial independence, and absolute consent in marriage.
Other subjects discussed included financial independence of women and their right to own, manage, and dispose of their wealth. The Mufti explained that while inheritance shares may differ, the male is legally obligated to support female relatives.
Speaking about the Muslim marriage contract, the religious scholars said that a woman’s consent is the first requirement for a valid marriage contract and that if a woman rejects a proposal, even at the wedding venue, the baraat (procession) must return.
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