By
Imam El-Leithy, IOL Baghdad Correspondent
BAGHDAD,
March 20 (IslamOnline.net) - The groom, over 30, has waited eagerly to
get married, while the bride seemed compassionate enough to attract him.
But
pressures encompass aspects of life in Baghdad and hardly let people
live where it is “heroic to survive”.
Such
are the aspects of economic life in Iraq that do not allow the youth to
get married.
“Love
here is suspended,” a young man told IslamOnline.net.
Yet,
under such pressures, Ahmed and Raqia decided to overcome the obstacles
resulting from economic circumstances.
Like
many Iraqi youths, they made up their minds to get married and live in a
room in the home of Ahmed’s parents. There is no way to have a
separate flat.
Some
youths get married offering verses of the Holy Quran as a dowry, while
others wait for the season of collective wedding; the expenses of which
are incurred by some high-ranking Iraqi officials, including President
Saddam Hussein, his son and ministers.
Such
celebrations occur five times a year. There is a waiting list that Ahmed
may not be included on.
In
the café, the sight of his cock being hit by a shrapnel in 1998
American aerial attack haunted Ahmed’s mind. The hen turned into a
widow. Ahmed laughed hysterically and murmured.
“I
have to get married as soon as possible before Raqia is granted the
widow title.”
Ahmed
hurried to her father, deciding not to wait for till after the U.S.
strike, and both agreed that the wedding would take place on Wednesday,
March 19, 2003, at 8 p.m., a few hours before the expiry of Bush’s
ultimatum and the unleasing of the military aggression.
Though
Ahmed would go to his work two or three hours after the wedding, as he
is assigned with a defensive duty in the paper he works for, Raqia
smilingly agreed and prepared his gun for him.
It
is a wedding that defies Bush and even death itself. Such a wedding
lacks the famous Iraqi popular music and the Galghy musical band. It is
even held without the bride’s white wedding dress and thrilling cries
of joy.
Yet,
love that brings the couple together, is far greater than such
formalities that they prefer to put off until after the end of the
aggression.
