Civil Marriag
Civil Marriage in Lebanon
The civil marriage and secular status debate is not new. However, the recent marriage of Khouloud and Nidal brought back the issue to the national spotlight. While this attempt is welcomed by many secular activists and youth groups, an outrage from Islamic institution is strongly contradicting and frightening. In her article “Lebanese’s Civil Marriage debate highlights sectarian rule (article number one),” Nada Akl supports civil marriage and considers it an opportunity to revisit the Lebanese personal status law. However, the Grand Mufti Mohamad Rashid Qabbani issues a fatwa against any move to legalize civil marriage in the country. The two activists tackle the topic from two opposing points of view, and Nada Akel succeeds more in effecting on the population and dragging them to her side.
Civil marriage was first debated in the 1990s before the government of the Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri rejected it. Personal status law was lobbied for and advocated by civil society groups in the name of personal rights and democracy. However, the result was always a complete failure. The couple, Khouloud and Nidal, attempted to fight for their right and get the approval for their marriage. Their attempt is now supported by great activists such as Nada Akel, yet a big party of the Lebanese refuses it due to their cultural and religious mentalities.
In her article “number one,” Nada Akel succeeds in dragging the population to her side and convincing them. Her article is effective because she presents her ideas in a well-organized and adequate way. She opens her article with a short anecdote about a couple who has struggled a lot before overcoming all the obstacles and making its dream come true. This example illustrates real concerns and problems faced by the Lebanese society especially the young rising generation. This relation adds credibility to the text by giving it a sense of reality and not only an abstract image which has nothing to do
The civil marriage and secular status debate is not new. However, the recent marriage of Khouloud and Nidal brought back the issue to the national spotlight. While this attempt is welcomed by many secular activists and youth groups, an outrage from Islamic institution is strongly contradicting and frightening. In her article “Lebanese’s Civil Marriage debate highlights sectarian rule (article number one),” Nada Akl supports civil marriage and considers it an opportunity to revisit the Lebanese personal status law. However, the Grand Mufti Mohamad Rashid Qabbani issues a fatwa against any move to legalize civil marriage in the country. The two activists tackle the topic from two opposing points of view, and Nada Akel succeeds more in effecting on the population and dragging them to her side.
Civil marriage was first debated in the 1990s before the government of the Prime Minister Rafiq Al Hariri rejected it. Personal status law was lobbied for and advocated by civil society groups in the name of personal rights and democracy. However, the result was always a complete failure. The couple, Khouloud and Nidal, attempted to fight for their right and get the approval for their marriage. Their attempt is now supported by great activists such as Nada Akel, yet a big party of the Lebanese refuses it due to their cultural and religious mentalities.
In her article “number one,” Nada Akel succeeds in dragging the population to her side and convincing them. Her article is effective because she presents her ideas in a well-organized and adequate way. She opens her article with a short anecdote about a couple who has struggled a lot before overcoming all the obstacles and making its dream come true. This example illustrates real concerns and problems faced by the Lebanese society especially the young rising generation. This relation adds credibility to the text by giving it a sense of reality and not only an abstract image which has nothing to do