Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said governments operating under Shariah law should use public funds to support marriage arrangements for people who cannot afford to marry.
Gumi made the statement in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, arguing that government assistance with marriage is part of its responsibility to address social challenges in Shariah-governed societies.
According to him, where relationships outside marriage, including prostitution, fornication, and adultery, are prohibited by both religious principles and state laws, governments should help people who are unable to afford marriage.
He said public funds could be used to support young people in urgent need of marriage, as well as women facing difficulties finding suitable spouses.
“In a Shariah law-driven state, where prostitution, fornication, adultery, and promiscuity are prohibited by both divine and state laws, using public funds to facilitate the marriage of women who are in excess of the available pool of eligible men or of any young person in dire need of marriage is a legitimate and responsible component of good governance,” Gumi wrote.
Government-backed mass marriage programs have previously been implemented in parts of northern Nigeria, including Kano, where authorities have described them as measures to assist financially disadvantaged people and address social concerns.
