Watching Married At First Sight has been educational. Initially, it seems like a crazy concept, right? Strangers meet, matched by people other than themselves, and (try to) commit to a relationship with that person. Surely that’s not going to work? What an interesting and new way to see love!
Every time I watch an episode all I can think about is my own arranged marriage and that of my parents, my siblings and friends; all who basically married at first sight. The difference is, we grew up with the system embedded in us.
As Muslims we grew up with the idea that love and sex and intimacy is something that is confined to marriage. Marriage for us is a spiritual act, that is witnessed by humans, a contract that both parties enter into facilitated by themselves or their family or friends. The word facilitated is more appropriate I think than ‘arranged’. Families facilitate a marriage happening.
Listen: The Recap talk, boys, beer and Married at First Sight. Post continues…
Being children of Disney and Bollywood and Hollywood cinema, we would have fantasies of meeting, dating and being proposed to but ultimately, we knew that was not the way it would work. We had our arranged marriage excitement too: the nervousness and thrill of having prospective partners visit your home with their parents, the awkward conversation when meeting a potential hubby, the crazy, shy, small talk with a person who could be your life partner, the excitement of the brief encounters once you have chosen each other and prepare for the wedding, the anticipation of the wedding… and the wedding night!
Top Comments
This article is misleading as it states that arranged marriage is a Muslim practice when it is not, it's a cultural practice. The author's cultural background is from the subcontinent where arranged marriages are the norm and practiced in all religious groups. Muslims in Southeast Asia-Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei don't have arranged marriages. In saying that, I don't believe that any one marriage practice is superior to another.
This really means a lot and is something that I feel is close to a lot of people's lives.
Thanks for publishing.
You put into words, what many of us can't.
It can be done wrong - and when it is its horrible - but I think that's when culture and patriarchy take over.
Glad yours, and the many many like you have worked out well!