ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
Marriage occupies a central position in Islam as a sacred covenant established to promote tranquillity (sakinah), affection (mawaddah), and mercy (rahmah) between spouses. Despite these ideals, marital instability and divorce have become increasingly prevalent among Muslim families in Nigeria, raising concerns among scholars, religious leaders, and policymakers. This paper examines the contribution of premarital counselling to marital stability from an Islamic perspective, with particular emphasis on the Nigerian context. Drawing on Qur'anic teachings, prophetic traditions, and contemporary empirical literature, the study adopts a qualitative review approach to synthesise evidence on the role of premarital counselling in strengthening communication, financial management, conflict resolution, emotional preparedness, and mutual understanding among intending couples. The review further identifies major barriers to effective implementation, including inadequate institutional frameworks, limited professional training for counsellors, cultural resistance, and insufficient integration of counselling into Islamic marriage practices. The findings indicate that comprehensive premarital counselling significantly enhances marital preparedness and contributes to healthier, more resilient families by reducing avoidable marital conflicts and promoting informed decision-making before marriage. The paper concludes that integrating structured premarital counselling into Islamic marriage procedures, supported by religious institutions, educational establishments, and government agencies, can improve family stability and contribute to sustainable social development in Nigeria. The study recommends standardised counselling curricula, professional capacity building, and greater collaboration between Islamic scholars and family counselling professionals to strengthen marriage preparation programmes.
Keywords: Premarital counselling; marital stability; Islamic marriage; Muslim families; Nigeria; family counselling.