High dowry? No, won’t marry you!

By Diana Al-Jassem
JEDDAH – Young Saudi men have started an online campaign to boycott marrying Saudi women because dowries and marriage costs are spiraling.
“Let her become a spinster!” is the theme of the campaign which is attracting a large number of young Saudi men who can’t afford to marry Saudi women and are looking for non-Saudi brides.
The websites leading the campaign want Saudi society to intervene before the cost of marriage gets completely out of control.
The websites are asyeh.com. almgha.com. toyota4arab.com, tomaar.com. alhora.com, and montdiatna.com.
“The theme of the campaign may seem a bit harsh... but these young men have their reasons,” said Abdullah Al-Jefn, an Islamic scholar and researcher.
He said the campaign touches on an important issue which should be studied in universities and schools.
“For most young Saudis, getting married is a dream that is becoming increasingly hard to achieve,” Al-Jefn said.
“Shariah law allows the girl to ask the man for whatever dowry she likes; this is not wrong or banned in Islam,” he said. – SG