| Summary: | This thesis examines the custom of child marriage in Islamic law and its practice in Muslim society. It also gives an overview of the history of child marriage from ancient to modern times. The focus of this research is the status of child marriage in the modern Muslim world as a continuation of ancient tradition and the role historical interpretations of Islamic law play in its perpetuation. === Child marriage was once a globally accepted and practiced phenomenon. Over the centuries its practice has diminished considerably. Today, although child marriage is viewed as an offensive act and discouraged by the majority of governments around the world, it continues to exist to a significant extent in most parts of the Muslim world. Those Muslim communities which persist in condoning and practicing child marriage are not only affected by cultural traditions but also by their form of understanding of Islamic law. This particular understanding is mostly informed by local religious leaders within their communities who base their justifications on medieval perspectives and interpretations of what constitutes divine law. === It is no coincidence, however, that child marriage is restricted to the impoverished, uneducated and rural sectors of society; people who have little choice in deciding their futures and due to harsh and straitened circumstances find it difficult to see any other alternatives.
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