Page:A Moslem seeker after God - showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century (IA moslemseekeraft00zwem).pdf/226

 one who

has always been considered as the pillar of ortho doxy and one of the great authorities on Moslem morals.

The ethics of marriage holds a large place in Moslem literature, and also in the works of Al Ghazali. Marriage is enjoined upon every Moslem, and celibacy is discouraged. " Marriage," said Mohammed the Prophet, " is my custom, and he who dislikes it does not belong to my people." And in another tradition: " Marriage is one-half of true religion." Even the members of the ascetic orders in Islam are generally married. The vow of celibacy was therefore not known among the mystics. Marriage is denned by Moslem jurists as " a contract by which the husband obtains posses sion of the wife and is allowed to enjoy her, if there be no legal impediment preventing the same." " Marriage," says Al-Ghazali himself, " is a kind of slavery, for the wife becomes the slave of her husband and it is her duty to obey him absolutely in everything he requires of her, except in what is contrary to the laws of Islam."

In the selection of a wife, Al-Ghazali advises his disciples to look for the following qualifications: (1) piety, (2) good character, (3) beauty, (4) a moderate dowry, (5) ability to bear children, (6) that she be a virgin, (7) of a good family, (8) that she be not of near relation. The duties of the husband to the wife and the duties of the wife to her husband are given in detail by Al-G