Mass marriage: 50 couples tie the knot in Faisalabad

More than 3,000 attend function.

FAISALABAD:

As many as 50 couples tied the knot at a mass marriage ceremony held at the University of Faisalabad on Thursday. The ceremony was organised by a non-governmental organisation, Madina Foundation.

More than 3,000 guests including parents of the couples,  their relatives and friends attended the ceremony.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Mian Muhammad Haneef, one of the organisers, said he had been arranging similar ceremonies for over eight years. “I am thankful to God for enabling me to assist these families,” he said. Haneef said his organisation had been preparing for the event for about four months. “We will continue arranging similar ceremonies in other areas in future,” he said.

He said the dowry given by the organisation to the couple included some furniture and essential household items.

Besides the families of the couples, the ceremony was attended by many students, staff and teachers of the university. The pro-rector and the registrar were also present.

A bridegroom, Muhammad Akram, said he was grateful to the organisation for incurring the expenditure of his marriage. “I had not given a thought to marriage until recently when I learnt about this organisation (Madina Foundation) and their initiative to arrange mass marriage ceremonies. I could not have arranged such a grand wedding,” he said.

A bride, Naila, said she had been providing for her eight-year-old brother and six-year-old sister ever since her parents’ death several years ago. “My biggest concern had been to arrange dowry for my daughter’s marriage,” said Muhammad Hafeez, father of a bride. Hafeez, who is physically-handicapped, said he had been out of work for many years and was only able to provide two meals a day to his family with his meagre income.

The nikkahs were solemnised by Khadim-i-Haram-i-Nabawi Madinatul Munawara Imam bin Husain bin Ali Zainul Abidin, who was also the chief guest at the occasion. The cleric also led a prayer for the prosperity of the couples.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2012.