THE LOFTY FORTRESS

Marriage and family are the intrinsically linked social institutions that carry out the primary functions of reproduction and socialization and thus, ensure the continuous existence of the human society. But due largely to the crisis of modernity and rapid technological advancement among other social changes, the institutions are now in grave jeopardy. Domestic violence, spouse abuse, unfaithfulness and divorce are the numerous social problems that have plagued the institutions over the years. In the light of the foregoing, I felt obliged to write this book to add to the growing number of literature on marriage and family which are geared towards stemming the unfortunate tide. Needless to say, that the need for more cannot be overemphasized. The book is divided into five major chapters each of which treats a distinct issue on marriage and family. While verses of the Qur’an are used as the backbones of all the chapters to give the book a moral colouration, insights are largely drawn from Literature and Sociology. The literary properties of the book can be gleaned from its title – The Lofty Fortress – which is drawn from the allegory used to explain marriage and family in somewhat a spectacular manner. To make much meaning out of such, concepts are extracted from Sociology – being a discipline that scientifically studies the human society. However, very simple English is used to make the book easily comprehensible. Though I do not claim that the book offers all solutions to the numerous social problems debilitating against the stability of marriage and family, it is my utmost hope that people of all categories – male and female; single and married; young and old; Muslims and non Muslims – will derive much needed benefit from it, either in the form of admonition or guidance or the both.