Ramadan Reflection Day 3: Considering Marriage
Imam Khalid Latif

Imam Khalid Latif is blogging his reflections during the month of Ramadan, featured daily on HuffPost Religion. For a complete record of his previous posts, click over to the Islamic Center at New York University or visit his author page, and to follow along with the rest of his reflections, sign up for an author email alert above, visit his facebook page or follow him on twitter.

My wife, Priya, usually wakes me up to pray every morning before sunrise. This being our first Ramadan together as a married couple, she's also taken on the task of getting me up to eat something before dawn when our fast starts. When I rolled out of bed yesterday, I noticed that she was a little more dressed up than usual for 4am. Before I could ask she told me she was going to the hospital. I gave her a kiss goodbye and asked her to call me if she needed anything.

My wife has been volunteering as a rape crisis and domestic violence counselor at a hospital near our home for quite some time. In the last month alone, she's been called to respond to emergency situations three times, all pretty early in the morning. When an abuse victim is admitted to the hospital, her role is to be there for this person in pretty much any way that they might need her. She has seen women from a variety of backgrounds who, unfortunately, have been abused in a variety of ways. It wasn't until seven hours later that she finally came home, well past the time her call shift had ended. Another case had come into the hospital while she was there and she decided to stay to help with that.

It's clear to see that she is passionate about helping these women and her work. In the last year, she transitioned out of a ten year career in finance to start a Masters degree in Social Work at New York University in order to pursue this passion even further. Her drive and ambition is something that is quite remarkable. Even now, when she and I are expecting our first child and despite being several months pregnant, she still stays committed to her responsibilities. It's one of the reasons why I love her as much as I do.

(For those who are wondering, my wife is not fasting. Pregnant women, amongst others, are exempt from fasting during Ramadan)

Later that evening, we went to a mosque to attend the evening Isha prayer (the fifth of five daily prayers Muslims pray) and Taraweeh prayers (a prayer that is observed by Sunni Muslims following Isha during Ramadan.) Afterward, we were in the car with a few friends and inevitably started a conversation on every young Muslims favorite topic: Marriage. This one interestingly focused on how many men, Muslim especially, have trouble committing to relationships with women who are motivated, driven and ambitious. Seemingly the idea that a woman is accomplished, has advanced degrees, or has been able to make a career for herself is something that is seen as problematic. Or at the very least many are taking it as such. Either way, it's still an issue.....to continue reading please click here