This is for the Omani Readers: the ban on marrying foreigners, your thoughts, and mine

So, if all the Oman blogs could put this out, simply because I am curious for both female and male Omani opinions on the matter, what do Omanis think about lifting the ban on marrying foreigners? I have a poll on the sidebar and wish you’d vote, if you are Omani, because this issue has long affecteded me and my friends (both foreign and Omani).

Right now, as is, unless you have some wasta, marriage to a foreigner requires a few things under Omani law. For an Omani man to marry a non-Omani woman it isn't allowed unless he is has been divorced a few times with children, he is mentally or physically disabled, or he’s over forty. For an Omani woman, if she’s divorced or widowed with children they make exceptions, same if she is mentally or physically disabled.

While one friend TRIED to tempt me with their handsome Omani friend who is quite disturbed and pocessed by an evil Jinn [I think Oman law would totally allow the marriage based on the insanity clause] I kinda held out. I don’t like evil Jinn. It’s kinda a personal thing. Just NOT attracted to creepy scary things that talk to me in demon voices. Yeah. LOL.

Anyways, here are my thoughts. I am a Muslim. In Islam, making something unlawful that Allah made lawful for mankind is ACTUALLY a form of shirk (disbelief in Allah), the kind of shirk the Qu’ran says committed by Jewish and Christian priests in different periods of history. So I don’t think there should be a law saying which country an Omani man or woman can marry from. Kinda because it is shirk, though I DO know the merits of why such a ban was proposed in Oman.

I think the ban should be lifted. But with conditions to preserve the unique culture of Oman:

Conditions being, to preserve the moral culture of Oman, Omani women should only be able to marry Muslim men. This is also in Islamic law. The men should be able to prove they can provide for the woman and be able to fit into her family if they are going to stay and live in Oman.

For Omani men, they should be able to marry Muslim, Christian, or Jewish foreign women, as this is what the Qu'ran says. But it is says ****PRACTICING**** Jewish and Christian women [of which, few will agree to marry a Muslim, because I HAVE practicing Christian and Jewish friends and most don't their kids to be raised Muslims]. So that stripper from Thailand? She doesn't COUNT as a practicing Christian my darling Omani boys. You don't want a bunch of immoral European, Asian, and Western women married to Omani men (as fun as that sounds boys LOL) but it'll totally ruin the culture of your children. In addition to that, Christian or Jewish women would have to sign a clause saying they would allow their children to be raised as Muslims and that their holidays would be celebrated outside of the home without the involvement of their children. [I added this for you PhantomX, cuz that is a valid point, as a Muslim with non-Muslim relatives this is something I will have to enforce when I have children].

These are my rather simple thoughts on the matter. I love Oman, I love the Sultan, and generally love how Islam is practiced here by the Gov.. This is one exeption to that love. I wonder what you all think. If on other blogs, please repost my poll for your Omani readers so they can participate. Thanks!

Story # 1 that inspired this post: http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-opnos-list-of-how-to-marry-omani.html