Is Marriage Still Treated as Sacred?

As-salamu alaykum. It feels like society is moving fast in the wrong direction - like people are heading towards harm instead of goodness. It’s painful to see how many treat marriage like a temporary contract. At the slightest issue, the first thought is divorce or separation. Divorce rates are rising, and many enter marriage with the mindset of “what if I get stuck” or “what if my spouse tries to betray me?” When someone asks for advice, they often get bitter, one-sided replies. People magnify flaws and plant doubts that weren’t necessary. Someone might be sharing positives about their spouse, and they leave remembering only the negatives that were already there. Advice often sounds like: “As a very sensitive woman, your husband doesn’t love you,” or “As a man who values himself, your wife doesn’t respect you.” Or the endless “If you were my sister I’d do this,” “If you were my brother I’d do that,” “If I were you I’d leave.” It’s as if breaking family ties has become a virtue, and staying to work on things is foolish. Phrases like “I’m not a maid,” “I’m not a slave,” “I’m not a wallet,” come up a lot - and people don’t always realize how harsh they sound. Then there’s the fear-driven planning: “I’ll spend 30 more years building my career in case my husband mistreats me,” or “I’ll perfect my life so I won’t get taken advantage of.” Allah emphasized the importance of family and marital bonds. A husband and wife should be the closest people to each other, supporting and protecting one another. But now many see only two options: throw the spouse away or endure abuse. People imagine a hundred ways their spouse might betray them, rather than a hundred ways their spouse might sacrifice for them. May Allah grant us wisdom to protect families, patience to resolve conflicts kindly, and the guidance to honor the sacredness of marriage.