Turkey’s religious affairs directorate criticizes matchmaking TV shows

Meltem ÖZGENÇ - ANKARA

Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) slammed matchmaking TV shows in its Friday sermon on Feb. 3, saying they undermined the country’s values. 

Diyanet delivered its Friday sermon on the topic of marriage, ruling that marriage should strictly be based on loyalty and family values.

“Matrimonial promises should be based on loyalty. Some couples, although they have made promises to each other, have experienced disloyalty and mercilessness. Thus, marriage requires moral responsibility,” it stated. 

It stressed that the shows were encouraging immorality and damaging family values.

“There are so many instances when marriages broke off, murders were committed and hopes were faded because of infidelity, cheating and violence. Most have hit women and children the most,” it stated.

The Diyanet also announced that while 131,830 couples were getting divorced, 620,982 couple got married in 2015, noting that 109,987 children suffered from separation.

“These numbers are on an alarming level among Muslims as Islam encourages loyalty in marriages and love for family and rules that people should practice this,” it added.    

The Diyanet said the protection of family lives were essential as it was the order of Allah. 

“Being a family requires people to be loyal in good times and bad times, and in sickness and in health. It requires keeping loyal to the promise of respecting the rights of each other. There is consciousness of trust on the base of the marriage. Because partners are left to trust each other by Allah,” it stated.