Why have a course on pre-martial education and why should I take it? Premarital education is actually not a new concept. The Prophet (saws) provided very detailed education about every aspect of life to his companions, including married life. We need to review these teachings and are more in need of them than ever before. This education is just on step in the right direction to combat rising divorce rates and marital discord. The main objective of prep is to equip couples with essential premarital knowledge to increase chances of a successful marriage. The factors leading to marital breakdown may be varied and many-faceted, but there is an increasing awareness that good preparation in the form of premarital counseling can provide a better foundation for marriages.

The Prophet (saws) declared that marriage as one of his most sacred practices. From numerous narrations of Hadith he has taught us many things related to marriage. There are also many Ayat in the Quran where Allah (swt) specifically discusses marriage. If marriage is so sacred in our religion it is only right that we value this sacredness and do as much as we can to foster healthy lifelong marriages. Increasingly, Muslims are experiencing marital discord at a extremely high rate. This does not include those who feel that they are married but unhappy. The consequences of divorce and marital dysfunction will have long-term impact on our children and community for future generations to come.

There is no better cure for a problem than prevention itself. Premarital counseling is effective because it is preventive rather than remedial. In our program potential couples will be encouraged to look deeply at their expectations and important areas of marriage like goals in life, roles and responsibilities, Islamic law, decision-making, intimacy, in-laws and conflict resolution will be discussed.

Currently as a full time imam I am concerned about how couples get married without proper preparation. My 20 years of working within the field of marriage has led me to conclude that part of the problem is a lack of Islamic education and spiritual development. I see couples spend months planning the wedding and only at the last moment schedule the imam to facilitate the marriage contract. Couples also spend thousands of dollars on getting married but nothing on things that will help them stay married. Marriage education is usually not on a marriage to-do list even though it should be at the top.

The goal of PREP is to educate potential couples about the basics of marriage in Islam and practical relationship-building skills to help them create a thriving and peaceful marriage. Our premarital education course can better prepare couples for a healthy marriage filled with the tranquility, love and compassion that Allah prescribes in Quran. Upon completion of the course you receive a certificate of participation, which can be presented to a potential spouse and/or your local imam.