Woman Between Islam and Western Society
9. Dowry
~ 450 ~
A girl is the flesh and blood of her parents. She is
loved by them whether she is good or bad, whether
she is active or idle, whether she helps her parents
or not, and she can safely expect them to continue
to love her, regardless of the circumstances of her
life, and regardless of how her own character
develops. But she has no such blood relationship
with her in-laws. Love from them will never be
unconditional, but will exist, cease to exist, increase
or decrease, in direct relation to the impression
which her character and abilities make upon them
in the general round of daily living.
For the bride, entering the marriage bond is like
undergoing a series of tests, the outcome of
which will determine whether her married life
will be stable and happy, or exactly the reverse.
If a girl feels like a fish out of water in her new
home, it simply means that she has to make
greater efforts to understand and adapt herself
to her new environment. Wise parents will warn
their daughters in advance that they must learn
to mold themselves to new sets of
circumstances.
