🇨🇾 Cyprus: Island of Forbidden Love | Al Jazeera World

Think of Cyprus and what comes to mind are sun-kissed beaches and breath-taking scenery.
But there is another reason that draws people to the Mediterrranean island - mixed-faith Middle Eastern, mainly Lebanese, couples seeking a civil union.
Al Jazeera World looks at what happens when romance cuts across religious lines.
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[@torbenm2375]

Love is love. Thank you Cyprus.

[@tarek307]

MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN-JEWISH, WE ARE ALL HUMAN! PEACE FROM #EGYPT

[@dorabastable7028]

Salam olechem!

[@Delta4ms]

This is so nice. Love is a wonderful thing.

[@clusterguard]

just DIVINE that people from all faith can find their way to love and happiness in Cyprus!! all the best from Greenland!!

[@bloodndestroy]

Dam, it must be cold over there right now huh

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

Greenland?

[@clusterguard]

@@incumbentvinyl9291: yep, Nuuk, Greenland.

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

@@clusterguard Now that is a rarity! Can you hunt Musk Ox there?

[@clusterguard]

@@incumbentvinyl9291 : yes, musk ox (ggod meat, indeed), raindeer, seals ... whatever that runs & swims. this is a truer hunter nation.

[@astrogreece]

In Cyprus there is no discrimination with regard to colour, origin or religion so if jewish people get married along moslems or christians this is equally good. And this is how our life should be all the way in all respects. Well done Al Jazeera, a great and precise film.

[@michealdimalanta973]

I Agree everyone's must be equalized no matter what' as long that you gave LOVE and RESPECT FOR EVERYONE'S That is REAL LOVE With Faith. Very Helpfully AL JAZEERA More POWER and BLESSED Always.

[@Lurch685]

This is great, looking forward to watching the whole thing...keep up the excellent work al-Jazeera :)

[@choppermfg]

great work al jazerra ............it is refreshing

[@ortcutt]

It was hilarious to hear the imam claim that women and men are equal in Islam and then later claim that a Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim woman, but a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man. I don't think he understands the meaning of the word "equal".

[@ar1639]

true af!

[@makkahcadey]

ortcutt yes women and men are equal. And see that you have limited understanding of the word "equal". Things don't have to match so long as the benefit is in equal weight, there are rules in the women he can marry of non Muslim women, not all. This documentary was bias and the last sentences of He sheikh in that topic was not translated and other parts too weren't. But you don't know the reason behind what he said. It's like saying why did the boy get the toy care and the girl got a doll, but in a greater issue. Learn before you speak so u don't take things face-value. All in all I don't think the Muslim men should either for the good of himself and the women(the non Muslim one) because there is always conflicting of religion, and most of them don't have proper faith to begin with.

[@tiniziyatinizi55]

I dont think ,you really understand the meaning of equality.But, since Islam is involved your diseases come out .you guys are full of hatred to anything that is Islamic period.And I bet you most of you NEVER read the Quran

[@wowso4]

ortcutt maybe you don’t understand the term equal it has a lot of meanings. But the reason is because in Islam the children take on the father’s surname and if the father is not a practicing Muslim and is another religion then the children will not be Muslim but instead their father’s religion.

[@totitoti5369]

The Muslim woman isn't allowed to marry a non Muslim man for various reasons.. Firstly the children will have the non Muslim name..Secondly to protect the woman.. If the man abuses or treats the woman unjustly in terms of money..she can go sew him in court according to Muslim sharia law.. However if it was a non Muslim man, sharia law wouldn't apply to him.. Thirdly to protect the woman's freedom to practice her religion (Islam) cuz the man might prevent her from doing that by force later on..

[@CountNadir]

I liked this documentary. It presents all peoples opinions

[@deedee9543]

Thank you the heart wants what it wants❤❤

[@siblinganon66]

28:00 when she corrected his tie; I expected the official to say "okay, that's enough you are clearly already married"

[@carol-annebragancaborba6134]

love is love

[@alexnikoo244]

Since they joined EU, the island and economy no more at high quality . I lived 18 month in there by 2003 , and it was heaven .

[@evehope4799]

I wish them happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@melchorferrer9840]

The best title is, Cyprus: Island of True Love

[@FIONA21ful]

Lots of people choosing Cyprus for weddings from all over Europe these days ,... I realise this is for other reasons of course, and I do agree that Lebanon ought to allow people to marry who they like by civil ceremony. I love Greece and Cyprus , if I was to ever give in and marry I would choose Cyprus myself for an informal beach wedding and party plus a few weeks honeymoon all in one! Would take a fraction of the small fortune weddings cost in Ireland these days. Cyprus is doing well out of its wedding packages.

[@ElPasoFilmsnet]

Thanks

[@dhanhyaa]

Imam said "I believe that civil marriage is the main reason behind the destruction of families and the injustice in civil societies". FYI, Imam sir, my parents got married in a Hindu temple through the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony with prayers, rituals and all that, but got divorced a few years later due to irreconcilable differences. Absolutely nothing to do with the civil marriage.

[@sydanas7564]

Maybe those mantras invited some djinns?

[@prasitkennyyupankikachkhan5621]

Maybe it's because of being married to a muslim/muslimah???

[@tarabee3350]

LOL! Best comment I've seen in a while.

[@dawoodwaris]

Religion - a real cancer in this day and age.

[@tiniziyatinizi55]

Dhanhyaa Mahen who are you,

[@queeniekhaleesi3022]

love wins! :)

[@marcomatzeu3191]

this is happening on the turkish side of cyprus... one unrecognised republic. i believe it should have been clarified from the beginning of the documentary or from the description below - it gives people a totally different idea of the island and culture otherwise. thanks.

[@georgiosathanasiou3985]

The second coupled married in Aradippou, which is clearly under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus.

[@antoniszakheos823]

This is on the greek side of Cyprus from most of the scenes shown. Larnaca is the city shown in most of the scenes. The one by the beach with the watersports is Dhekhelia Beach by Golden Bay Beach Hotel.

[@RitaPersyn]

With all respect to Al Jazeera World but you forgot to mention that Israelian jewish people get married as well in a mixed -faith in Cyprus as often.

[@leosavva3704]

Salaam alyekum love Turkey 🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷

[@giotou]

well done cyprus, that cyprus is doing this, because they understand what love is. congratulations o cyprus, u r so ectreme and cool country.one of the ebst country in the world

[@tarabee3350]

Or they're trying to destroy the Middle East slowly by allowing these 'marriages'....think of the children..when they grow up they won't know if God is one or 3 or 4.. they will be confused and grow up to do the same as their parents and it will continue until their faith will either become non existent or so diluted....

[@8AUGS]

+Tara Bee. Have you been asleep all your life? This is the least of Middle East self destruction. Religions and their false teachings and beliefs are destroying not only Middle Easterners, but the world as a whole. These couples know the meaning of life, and that it is short and unpredictable, and should be lived freely without any constraints. There's no freedom and life in religion. Get to living and leave religion to the lost and confused.

[@MyPetrushka]

Let love prevail. Leave people alone, but it is hard when a family network make it difficult, and all for religion. How sad and silly. I love, I love, I love Cyprus especially the North.

[@ElPasoFilmsnet]

There is no civil marriage in Lebanon, but Cyprus civil marriages law is recognized by the Lebanese government as legal marriage, So they go to Cyprus, get Married there and come back with a Legal paper...

[@jennybahtimy2701]

True story, my husband and I met in London in the early 70s married a year and half later in London, civil marriage, I a citizen of Cyprus (Greek), my husband a citizen of Egypt. We immigrated to the United States of America 1975, and by 1978 my Cyprus passport needed to be renewed. I called the Cyprus Embassy and requested an application as well as asked to what was needed to have my last name changed to my married legal last name on my green card residence and to match my 2 children's last names on their American passports. I followed the instructions and I sent my passport to the Cyprus embassy with my marriage certificate but 2 weeks later I got a call informing me that they needed a Church marriage certificate in order to change my last name. My civil marriage certificate was not recognize by Cyprus. I explain that no Church would marry us because we are of different Religion and I protested to no end. I had to renewed my passport in my maiden name since my country did not recognize my Marrage. It was a bit of inconvenience at airports every time I was returning from a trip abroad to explain that the two identifications needed were coming in different last names, and the two children with me were actually mine. To my surprise several years later I got a letter from Cyprus Embassy informing me that I could now have my last name change on my passport. Cyprus finally recognized civil marriage. As I didn't need my Cyprus passport any longer I never renewed it since. I had became a USA citizen with USA Passport. As of my marriage still going strong after 48 years 4 children, 4 grandchildren and much love and care. From 2 young people at the table we are now 14 and in a loving family. I have to say that religion does not define marriage. A family is stronger and healthier when it exist in a society were civil laws protect and support all the citizens equal. Freedom of Religion is important to those who want to practice religion but freedom from religion is also important to those who don't. In every country, we should today have a seperation of Church, Mousqe, Temple,.... and the State. the legacy of our countries in the Middle East is multi religious, and multi culture, we have mix genetics as well going back thousands of years and as long as we don't legislate based on religious beliefs people can live in peace and prosperity. The religious leaders job is to support the spiritual needs of their citizens and stay out of the civil law.

[@jeaniebaby001]

..time to listen to Bette Midler's "The Rose" hahaha xD

[@charalambos1233]

Man you go in free cyprus

[@trendafile6356]

Leila lost me at "the kids are baptised" and go to church. Why can't you and your family take them to the mosque as well? !! The man is clearly in control in that marriage..She has no say.

[@romankolyuka8153]

Christians in the Middle East are not ethnic Arabs. They speak Arabic but they are not ethnic Arabs. Christians in the Middle East are descendants of the Christians of the first seven centuries of the Christianity. They spoke Aramaic before the 4th century and from the 4th century till the 14th century they spoke Syriac language (which is descendant of Aramaic language). And only in the 14 century they began to speak Arabic.

[@makkahcadey]

AJ why you keep cutting translations for the Imam.

[@hanikaram3351]

he did not cut it for the imam he cut it for the muslim woman she said her father is muslim but her mother is not muslim and her kids are 6 and 8 years old and stating to ask questions and she wonders what her father and grandfather would say and do if her son's name is George and one of them the sheikh what might be angry or what

[@hanikaram3351]

I meant her father is sheikh so her grandfather

[@ginost7]

yeh man i agree with you. Reilgion is the cause and excuse for so many wars, especially in lebanon

[@sydanas7564]

Wrong or incomplete translation at 19:35 . He say people of book.

[@cathydemosthenous8694]

Syd Anas stupid idiot you know nothing about Cyprus history you are a pure Arab nut Cyprus is Greek Arabs go back to homes trying to steal our country !!!!

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

22:38 - Actually Cyprus is *in* the Middle East.

[@tundrawomansays5067]

We can not help who we love. End of discussion.

[@wowso4]

My friend is Muslim and she said she can marry any man from any background as long as he follows Islam, I don’t see anything wrong with that why would you chose to marry someone who has a different religion to you?

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

That's an odd question. Why wouldn't you marry someone who has a different religion than you?

[@lonewanderer5732]

go ahead and multiply,,,,,,,,,,,

[@foodpuff8582]

Dem eyebrows xD

[@nonamenoname2767]

Ok that is good but Do they go back to their county where their marriages are not recognized abroad or what?

[@FIONA21ful]

@33.23 come on now Husband ask Varto your wife what is going on with those eyebrows???!!! 😁😁😉 I've been waiting since @16.50 for him to marry her and wipe them off! 🤣🤣

[@michealdimalanta973]

is it Possible Jewish and Roman Catholic can be Married in CYPRUS.? Anyone Please to Answer? Yes or No

[@georgianaolariu1495]

Yes

[@michealdimalanta973]

how long it will takes to get the marriage contract after the civil wedding?

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

@@michealdimalanta973 Watch the video, it's clearly answered.

[@sarathw5740]

God said "go forth and multiply" who got problems? people, because of their idiotic thinking and discrimination.Religion has nothing to do. Hatred, and thinking too big, for their boots.

[@micahgee]

Whaaaat?

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

How are women deemed equal in Islam when it takes two to provide testimony against a man and they inherit half of that given to male children? The cleric should be real. Interesting programme.

[@blahcablah1243]

Civil law > whatever religious law

[@yagyabasnet4712]

I consider it will be a new Arab soon.

[@romankolyuka8153]

It is a hard sin for a Christian to marry a non-Christian!

[@MyPetrushka]

There is one God. One who means love and life and nurture. Only one. Local laws don't have a place when a man and a woman love each other and wish to marry. They can do it through local laws, above them is the God of Love, and it is He/She who is important.

[@mrhonest1302]

But you know the North was invaded illegally in1974 by the Turks so their will be a lot people who lost everything they ever owned and 1600 odd people who were killed .

[@tarabee3350]

Are you sure it's only one? I know I believe that but many religions out there associate others with God as part of more Gods or trinity.... It's all very wishy washy.

[@dorabastable7028]

One too many gods for my taste!

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

Can you prove it, Julie?

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

@@mrhonest1302 It was legally invaded, this was confirmed be the United nations. You seem to think people did not know that Greece tried to assassinate the President of Cyprus and then installed a puppet government with the sole intent to annex the territory of Cyprus. Cyprus invaded legally as per the Treaty of Guarantee. Without Turkey, Cyprus would have lost its sovereignty.

[@sergamacc]

"I believe that civil marriage is the main reason behind the destruction of families and the injustice in civil societies" - Sheikh Hassan Shehadeh Really? Isn't radical religion interfering with peoples private lifes more likely to be the reason for this kind of things?

[@tymax6751]

It's simple: If you really love the person more than your religion, you'll convert. Or, if you love your religion more than the person, you'll leave them. These people want to have their cake and eat it, too. The choice of a civil marriage over a religious one, if it's against your religion, clearly shows what's important to you. I think these people are very conflicted.

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

The idiocy or religion in a nutshell.

[@102create]

All these rules and laws are man made, sometimes religion makes peoples lives miserable 😩

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

Sometimes? Haha, funny!

[@ShakirahIbaad]

what a shame...

[@phuckyall6079]

people of cyprus are genetically of lebanese christian, druze and spanish jew decent. They are not really greek or turk

[@ninaa5693]

People of Cyprus are Middle Eastern people and Turks are also Middle Eastern.

[@cathydemosthenous8694]

Stupid comments from idiots especially Arabs that think they own Cyprus !!!!hands off Cyprus belongs only to Cypriots-only !!!!

[@incumbentvinyl9291]

Indeed, Cypriots are a true people of the Levant. Middle Eastern people.

[@ElPasoFilmsnet]

Thanks

[@ElPasoFilmsnet]

Thanks