Where does the discourse on interfaith marriage originate? It is from the ad that was meant to portray interfaith harmony. However, it has gone topsy-turvy. A Muslim household was preparing a Hindu-style baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law. The tagline read, “A beautiful confluence of two different religions, traditions, cultures,” in a tribute to India’s reputation as a multi-ethnic home to more than 1 billion people of all faiths.
It is this reputation which has kept our great country humming with Indianness. Perhaps the poet-philosopher had indicated at this point in verse, “Koi Baat Hai Ki Hasti Mit Ti Nahi Hamari.” Secular values are the soul of this country. They are present in everything here. Yet, the attempt to tarnish this image continues as was seen in the case of this recent ad aired on YouTube .Tanishq jewellery company pulled it from all social media platforms following a flood of angry calls from Hindu nationalists, including members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to boycott the brand.
This basic fact made us mad to get our minds into researching inter-faith marriages and secular values. From that point on, we have either been glazing or glossing over the harsh storms. Life never comes back to a prior state after a problem arising over interfaith marriage. And, there is no logic in the pain and sorrow which we feel from the slightest mishaps in the functioning of this kind of wedding though we rush to bring life back to the normal course where feelings take a secondary seat and its comparison to other experiences or a burning desire to control the circumstances prevailing.
Such sort of weddings all the more is anxiety-inducing, because couples can’t see the full picture until a few days before the wedding. Reasons may be less factual, but they are interesting and personal. It’s everyone’s blend of interests and opinions that make us all so unique and human, not just the things we like.
After all, the marriage is a matter of two families but it is performed through the practised faith. It is here the root of the crisis lies. This particular social seed begets politics. Then how can our politicians sit idle? They come to boil their hidden interests into the quite popular social rite. There is a very old edge: “Kya Karega Qazi Jab Miyan Bibi Raazi.”
Undeniably, one adult male can marry a major girl and if they are agreeing to marry by conversion. Why the fuss? This is needed to give legal status to marriage and the children born after the wedding. It is not wholly correct to say that only Hindu girls change religion but the Muslim girls also do. Examples abound.
Is it possible for Hindus to marry without undergoing Hindu marriage rituals and still remain Hindu for other aspects of the law? Yes. Hindus can opt for a civil marriage, often incorrectly referred to as a “court marriage,” under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. While Islam allows marriage with another religion girl if she adopts the groom’s religion. Islam did not allow marriage with the Mushrikin. Scottish songwriter Derek William Dick (Fish) said a spouse could pull the “conversion card” during an argument and say, “but I left my faith for you.”
Denominations may use “interfaith” for both cases or disagree over whether another group is a Christian denomination or a non-Christian religion. Some denominations forbid interfaith marriage, basing this ban on New Testament verse 2 Corinthians 6:14 and the Old Testament verse Deuteronomy 7:3 (see also Ezra 9–10.).