Sana's POV
I don't want to get married by giving dowry, what's the point of getting married where I have to pay for that?
People were looking awestruck as if I have spoke something I shouldn't have yes we live 21 century but still follow the ritual called dowry especially in this south Asian communities.
People want there daughter in law to be well educated, well mannered, someone who does hijab and parda, some one who prays 5 times and recites Quran but when it comes to marriage it's all about asking dowry, lavish weddings, expensive gifts and what not, it's not like no body wanted to marry me before Arafath, every one came with conditions apply, "your girl is fat so we are also compromising please pay us so and so amount", and I am dead against that demand,
Cause in Islam marriage is sacred and Nikah (the wedding ) is suppose to be so simple that it should not cause burden on to the bride's family, the nikah can be done by just serving dates and water to the people who attend it.
Islam has made marriage so easy but these so called elders who bend rules according to their own comfort forget about few preachings in the Quran, in fact Islam orders the Guy to pay the bride money (mehr)while getting married not the other way around, getting married was suppose to be easy not tough on girls family.
Whenever I raised my hands in Dua I made sure to ask for things that would lessen the burden on my mother's shoulder .
"I am not marrying you"!!
I looked at Arafath with doubt in my eyes, did I hear why I just heard or am I dreaming?I was almost questioning my decision when I heard "I am not marrying you if you are paying me a single penny to marry you".
"I don't want to answer my lord about the kind of discomfort I cause your family, I am capable enough of taking care of you and providing you isn't that what a girl looks for in her husband?"
This was enough for me to feel assured my partner for life and my peace for life I have found him, I felt lighter after the realisation and I know that he is the one who I want to spend my whole life with.
Elders around us smiled and said we weren't discussing dowry actually, we were discussing about the wedding demands about who is gonna be a brides family and who is groom as we are inter connected in a way!!
I felt embarrassed but then my uncle said "but it's good that a girl from our family is well aware and can distinguish between right and wrong".
Arafath looked at me and smiled and I was asked to sit next to him while elders decided on dates for the wedding.
"You looked like a lioness there"
I looked at him and smiled saying and I know this lion always has my back.
He passed me a tissue paper saying this is my number feel free to text me will be waiting for it.
Though I took the tissue paper I wasn't sure that I would be talking to him as I take lot of time to open up and he might get bored of me just like Salim did.
But again I pushed those thoughts back of my head and prepared to start my life fresh ahead.
Hope he will be the man that I would want may be not first love but last love of his life .
What ever knowledge I have about the Islamic rules regard to dowry I have mentioned correct me if am wrong,
No intention to hurt Any sentiments of religion