Muhammad Al-Sheikh Al-Jazirah Anyone my age would agree that marriage is the most important decision one makes in his/her life. It is a difficult decision for a man to choose his future wife and a woman to choose her future husband. It is even more difficult for women to do so in a male-dominated society like ours; therefore, young men and women alike should think very carefully when they decide who they want to marry. They should not rush to tie the knot unless they are fully convinced that their potential future partner is the right spouse. It is true that any decision we make in our life entails some risks but we should calculate such risks and try to minimize the damage. Young men and women may pay some attention, among other things, to outer appearances but, at the same time, they should not hinge their decision on appearance because they can be deceiving. They should concentrate on the character of any future partner because it is simple character traits that can reveal a lot about a person's individuality. The more attention we give to a person's character, the less risks we take when choosing the right person. The Kingdom's divorce rate, which is regularly discussed in the media, can be dismaying. One of five marriages solemnized in the Kingdom ends in divorce. An important question that poses itself is whether such a high divorce rate existed in the past. The answer of course is no. I can confidently say that the divorce rate among people who got married at my age was very low. There are many reasons for this and I'll mention the most important ones. Women these days have begun to enjoy more rights than before. In the past, women had to put up with controlling husbands but today, an educated woman does not have to accept such a situation and will surely stand up for her rights. During the engagement period, many men try to hide their true characters and show that they appreciate marriage. Similarly, most girls get caught up emotionally in the engagement period and focus on romance only. They hide their true feelings and opinions and fail to pay attention to any alarming traits in their future husbands. Once these men and women marry, problems slowly start to surface. Over time, the problems get bigger as both spouses learn more about each other and they eventually end up getting divorced. It is important for young men and women during the engagement period to be themselves and display their true feelings objectively. It's better for them to discover each other during this period than later when it is too late. Nothing kills a marriage like putting on false masks and pretending to be in love. These masks are like a mirage — they are deceptive. Any successful, strong marriage is based on objective and logical factors, not romance or even appearances. These factors differ from one person to another. Young men and women should discover each other's personalities before committing to the critical, lifelong decision of marriage.
