Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has thrown his weight behind the use of public funds to support marriages in states operating under Sharia law, describing the practice as a legitimate and responsible component of good governance.
His remarks come amid Kano State’s ongoing mass wedding programme, which is sponsoring the marriage of 1,500 couples.
In a statement shared via Facebook on Thursday, Gumi said governments in Sharia-compliant states have a responsibility to address social challenges that stem from the prohibition of sexual relationships outside marriage.
He explained that in societies where prostitution, fornication, adultery and promiscuity are outlawed by both religious injunctions and state legislation, government support for citizens who cannot afford to marry should be seen as a necessary part of responsible governance.
According to him, public resources can rightly be deployed to assist young people who are in urgent need of marriage, as well as women who face difficulty finding eligible spouses due to a shortage of available men.
“In a Sharia 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 said.
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