Saudi Gazette The number of divorce cases rising in the Kingdom is indeed a disturbing factor. To avoid such an extreme step, which only helps in distorting relations between two families, a Saudi researcher, social worker and writer, Faten Muhammad Hussein, advises couples to stay engaged for a longer time before tying the knot . She recommends nine to 12 months as an ideal engagement period, which gives the couple ample time to understand each others feelings, thoughts and expectations. An extended engagement period may significantly reduce the incidence of divorce in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Justice has recorded 24,945 divorce cases last year, which is almost 69 divorces per day. Hussein points out that divorce has a deep negative impact on children of separated parents and in some cases, divorce can be very traumatic on young children. Marriage counselor and the President of the Center for Marital and Family Relations in Makkah, Dr. Haifa Azzi, said that a certain degree of education and counseling is absolutely necessary for couples before they get married. She has witnessed a large number of young women attending pre-marital lectures and workshops, however, such awareness is rare among men. “It is not enough to understand the duties, responsibilities, ups and downs of a married life for women only, men should be aware of the same too. There needs to be a balance in marriage education and awareness campaigns that focus on both partners,” said Dr. Azzi. The most common causes for divorce in Saudi society are miscommunication between the spouses, emotional instability in husband or wife, and excessive interference from the family of the husband and/or wife. “A successful and lasting marital relationship is built on these basic principles - love, respect, behaving nicely with their spouses in accordance with our religion's teachings, and appreciating the physiological differences between men and women,” advised Dr. Azzi. __
