Maulana Rahmat Aalam resides in Pipra Bhagwanpur, ward no. 1 in Rajpur Municipality. He works as an Urdu language journalist. Maulana Aalam is involved in the National Inter-Religious Network (NIRN)-Nepal’s District Interfaith Committee of Rautahat Advisory Board and has been part of World Vision International (WVI) Nepal’s MORAL Values Project since its inception in December 2020. He is committed to community service and has been actively advocating against harmful social practices like child marriage, dowry system, and violence against children. He uses religious scriptures and texts to convey his messages, believing that referencing religious teachings makes it easier to convince people.
Using religious teachings to advocate for social change not only empowers communities but also aligns with our shared moral values.
As an Advisor of NIRN District Interfaith Committee, he actively participates in all activities and considers them as opportunities for learning and skill enhancement. He applies these learnings to community activities conducted through NIRN Nepal and MORAL Values Project. Through his involvement, he has had the chance to interact with faith leaders of different religions, learning about their beliefs regarding issues like child marriage and dowry system.
Each halted child marriage is a victory for the future generations, ensuring that our children have the opportunity to thrive, rather than being bound by harmful traditions.
Maulana Aalam has successfully prevented seven child marriages in Rajpur and Paroha Municipalities of Rautahat district. He discovered that parents often overlook their children’s ages and rush into marriages due to various reasons like financial constraints, especially for daughters. Upon learning that most of these children were under 16 years old, some as young as 10, he educated their parents about the adverse effects of early marriage on their children’s health and future. He also highlighted the legal implications and religious disapproval of child marriage according to the Quran and Hadith. Consequently, the parents agreed to halt the marriages, allowing their children to continue their education in local schools and Madarsas.