101 couples tie knot in mass wedding in Kabul as part of new trend

KABUL -- A mass wedding ceremony in Kabul this month gave 101 young couples the opportunity to get married without spending a fortune.

The Shuhada Foundation organised the ceremony on July 7, the third such mass wedding organised by the charity since early 2021.

Unemployment and poverty have increased in Afghanistan in recent years, making traditionally expensive weddings out of reach for many youth.

As such, the frequency of mass wedding ceremonies has also grown, according to the organisers.

Making dreams come true

"I was working in a foreign organisation and had a good income ... At that time, I got engaged and decided to get married and have a family," said Ali Ahmad Hassani, 27, one of the newlyweds at the mass wedding ceremony.

"Unfortunately, circumstances changed, and I lost my job," he said. "I could not get married due to unemployment and economic problems."

Hassani said many young people cannot afford to get married and are forced to illegally migrate to neighbouring countries in search of employment.

"They often get arrested, injured or killed at the borders," he said.

"I am very happy that I was able to achieve my dream today along with dozens of other young people with support from a charity organisation in a mass wedding ceremony," he added.

Juma Khan Mohammadi, 29, said he was engaged for over a year and a half.

"I could not afford to hold my own wedding due to economic challenges and the very high cost associated with the ceremony," he said. "I thank the [Shuhada] Foundation for supporting me and other bridegrooms to start our own family."

"Considering the unemployment ratio among young people, the economic problems of families, and the ongoing economic crisis in the country, organising mass wedding ceremonies can benefit ... poor and needy families," Mohammadi said.

He urged other charity organisations and wealthy people to assist other young people by organising mass wedding ceremonies across Afghanistan.

Economic problems and "irrational marriage customs" prevent many young people from getting married and starting their own family, said Fawzia, 25, one of the brides at the ceremony.

Fawzia was engaged for almost three years and could not get married for the same reasons, she said.

"The more time passed, the harder it became for us to afford a wedding ceremony. Fortunately, our wedding ceremony was held here, and my husband and I appreciate and welcome the Shuhada Foundation's initiative."

"Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and our people depend on humanitarian and economic assistance from the international community," Fawzia noted.

"I call on families to avoid holding resplendent wedding ceremonies and think about their daughters' and sons' future," she said.

Saving money, lives

Mohammad Mukhtar, one of the organisers of the event held by the Shuhada Foundation, explained the benefits of mass weddings and some of the risks associated with societal pressure to hold lavish ceremonies.

"Our goal is to facilitate the wedding ceremonies of poor youth on the one hand and reduce the huge and harsh expenses that poor families have to bear on the other," he said. "Furthermore, we want to fight bad marriage traditions and practices that exist in society."

"I know a large number of young people who decide to illegally travel to neighbouring countries do so due to unemployment, poverty and economic problems," he said. "They work there very hard to save money to pay for their wedding expenses."

"Unfortunately, some of them are imprisoned or killed while on their journeys," Mukhtar said.

One of the foundation's main goals is to prevent illegal migration and the loss of the country's youth at the borders of neighbouring countries, he said.

"The lowest cost of a wedding is 300,000-500,000 AFN [$3,500-$5,800] in our country," he said.

"I ask families to avoid pursuing the wrong marriage customs. Holding such an opulent and expensive wedding ceremony that costs them massively can worsen their financial situation."

The cost for a young couple in the mass wedding ceremony was only 42,000 AFN ($490), which was paid for by the Shuhada Foundation.

Low-cost weddings

There is precedent in Islam for holding modest wedding ceremonies, said Sayed Ali Reza Hashimi, a religious scholar.

"Marriage is sunnah in Islam," he said. "It will bring peace, perfection and reconciliation. It ensures families' and society's solidarity and well-being."

"Our country is facing an economic crisis and poverty," Hashemi noted, adding, "Islam prohibits holding expensive wedding ceremonies that will further plunge families into poverty."

"Our Prophet (PBUH) said the best women are those whose dowry and wedding expenses are low," he said.

Islam emphasised low-cost weddings for a reason, he said, because in poor families and communities, weddings with huge costs have dangerous social consequences, such as moral corruption, theft and crime.

"These events may lead to illegal migration or disruption of social order," he added.