How Shari'ah affects the relationships between men, women and their children.

Men and women have different roles in Islamic society. They are meant to compliment each other. The men are meant to provide for the family and also protect them and he does this by getting a job and earning money and keeping the family on the right track morally building up to the Day of Judgement. They are not meant to drink alcohol, gamble, steal or have sexual immorality. He must set an example to the family and Islam often use the image that he must fortify (ihsan) the home as its guardian. In the Qur'an men and women are viewed to be equal but different and this is also a theme in the New Testament.

Women are allowed to have a job but only if it does not hurt the family in any way. She has to be a virgin at marriage and in return is protected by her husband. Mothers or wives are meant to take responsibility for feeding of the hungry, hospitality for the guest and encouragement for the weak. All in all a woman is meant to look after the children and guests which the husband is earning money for the family.

The purpose of marriage is that it allows the married couple to express a range of human experiences and sexual love in a comfortable environment. Another purpose is so that two separate families can be joined by the marriage. It is normal to marry your cousin and it is thought that it will be a better marriage if the couple know each other, their character and their background well. Muslims choose their partners very carefully and should remain loyal to them for the rest of their lives. Marriage is very much a legal affair in Islam and marriage contracts are exchanged but on the actual day of the marriage there are many ceremonies and rituals which are a result of local customs.

In Islam divorce is permitted but only as a last resort. Muhammad said "the most detestable act God has permitted is divorce". Divorce like marriage is a very simple affair. All the husband has to do it to say "I divorce you" three times in public (the talaq) with a wait (iddah) of about three months in between each announcement for reflection and reconciliation. You can also divorce by mutual consent in two different ways. The first Mubara'ah is when the wife and husband agree between themselves to end the marriage and work out all the financial agreement to be made. The second Khul is when the wife has a genuine grievance against her husband but she has to return her marriage gift (mahr) to him in return for a divorce.

In Islam the family is seen as the basis of the human race, culture, society and civilisation. Anything that disrupts or weakens the family is seen as a very serious matter. The home is seen to be far more important than the any place outside. Children are regarded as a blessing. The family is very important in Muslim culture.