London, May 07: A survey carried out by SingleMuslim.com, the world’s leading internet-based matrimonial service for the Muslim community, has revealed that most Muslims who stated a preference believe pre-marital health screening is essential.
SingleMuslim.com, an interactive community of more than 400,000 people seeking potential marriage partners, recently polled its members to find out what they think about the need for pre-marital health screening.
2,317 users responded to the survey and results released today 5th May 2010, show that 31 percent see health screening as essential, and a further 22 percent agreed that they would discuss health screening with their partner and family before marriage.
Only 12 percent did not think health screening is required. 35 percent of respondents admitted to not having thought about the issue.
Pre-marital health screenings for genetic/hereditary disorders, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are mandatory in many countries, including parts of the Middle East and Asia.
Although not compulsory, pre-marital health screenings are becoming increasingly popular in Western countries. In part, this is due to a growing awareness of the possible impact of genetic disorders on any children a marriage is blessed with, but it is also due to concerns about the spread of HIV/AIDS and STDs.
SingleMuslim.com’s Managing Director, Adeem Younis, said: “There are perhaps two main reasons why Muslims in the West are more inclined to consider health screenings. Western society, unfortunately, has a much higher divorce rate than other societies, so it not unusual for a prospective marriage partner to have previously had more than one spouse.”
“There are also many Muslims in the West who were not born Muslims but who have come to Islam later in life. The chances are that they have had several relationships before reverting to Islam. Under these circumstances, it makes sense for any potential health risks to be fully assessed before committing to marriage.”
And, with over 50 percent of the survey respondents agreeing that pre-marital health screenings are either essential or should be discussed before marriage, it is clear that this is an issue that SingleMuslim.com’s members take extremely seriously.
Younis believes that there is nothing inherently wrong with requesting that a prospective partner undergoes a pre-marital health screening.
He said: “Islam tells us ‘la darar wala dirar’, which means ‘do no harm, accept no harm’.
Islam therefore encourages us to protect ourselves, our families and our children from harm, and health screenings are one aspect of the protective measures we can take.
“That doesn’t mean to say that we should be suspicious of prospective partners. After all, Islam demands that we show trust and good faith towards our brothers and sisters. These screenings are a simple precaution that ultimately can prevent serious health issues,” said Younis.
“It’s definitely always better to be safe than sorry.”
—Agencies