Hinduism and Islam on human relationships.

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Front cover                                                        Page 1

Contents page                                                        Page 2

Views and beliefs on marriage                                Pages 3 and 4

Marriage ceremonies                                                Pages 5 to 7

Views on sexual relationships and abortion                        Page 8

Roles of men and women                                        Page 9


Hinduism

Marriage in Hinduism is portrayed as a very important thing and examples of religious devotion to your partner can be found between Krishna and Radha or between Rama and Sita in the famous poem The Ramayana. Hindu gods get married and have children also. The gods also demonstrate what an ideal relationship with one's husband/wife should be. For example, the gods Shiva and Parvarti are often held up as the ideal couple. Women will often pray for a husband like Shiva and follow Parvarti's patient example in waiting for one to come along (It is said that Parvarti waited sixteen years until she met Shiva).

Marriage is enforced in Hinduism and is regarded as a religious duty and choosing to stay single is not encouraged. One cannot reach moksha (release of the soul from the chain of rebirth) unless they fulfil their dharma (religious duty in life). Marriage is also the 13th samskara a Hindu will pass through in their life. The samskaras are sixteen rituals, which mark stages in a person’s life (the first concerns the moment of conception whilst the last are the funeral rites). Another reason why Hindus are encouraged to marry is because some religious rituals can only be carried out if you are married. A quote from a book called Hinduism: A New Approach reinforces this idea:

'No religious ritual can be performed by a man without his wife, and no man or woman's life is seen as complete without marriage.’ 

Also included in the samskaras are four ashramas, which follow the cycle of growing up, adulthood and getting old, and are Brahnacharyi (student), Grihasta (householder), Vanaprastha (retirement) and Sannyasin (renunciation). For Hindus, marriage is when a person passes from their student stage to their householder stage.

The most common type of marriage performed in India is an arranged marriage. This is when the parents and elders in the families of both the bride and the groom are arranged to marry after both individuals’ horoscopes are considered and the social, financial and religious status of the other family are also taken into account.

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Islam

Marriage in Islam is supposed to offer tranquillity to the soul and peace to the mind, so that man and woman may live together in an atmosphere of love, mercy, harmony, co-operation, mutual advice and tolerance, and lay the foundation for raising a family. In Islam it is one of the most sacred contracts that two beings can subject to.

        Marriage in Islam is the basis of a social Islamic society and is a recommended act towards all Muslims. When two Muslims marry Allah unites their souls so that the partners can live in tranquillity.

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