Before understanding about marriage under the Muslim Law let us first understand how and from where Muslim Law is derived.
There are 4 main sources of Muslim law
- The Quran: It Is the divine communication Between Angel Gabriel and Prophet Mohammed. It has 114 chapters ( Sura )and 6,666 verses ( Ayat).
- Hadit: Hadit is known as the teachings of Prophet.
- Ijma: It refers to consensual opinions of jurists.
- Qias: It refers to analogical deduction.
Marriage Under Muslim Law
The term marriage refers to the legal process for cohabitation between a man and a woman for procreation of children and the purpose of marriage is to serve emotional and sexual gratification.
Section 2, Muslim Women Protection of Rights On Divorce Act, states marriage as a solemn pact between a man and a woman.
Essentials of a Muslim Marriage
- There must be a proposal (offer) and an acceptance to that proposal. Muslim marriage is contractual in nature. Proposal to marriage is known as Ijab and acceptance to that proposal is known as Qubool. Therefore, Muslim wedding is also known as Ijab-e-Qubool.
- There must be a consideration, known as dower as consideration is an essential element of a contract.
Requirement of Witnesses:
In Shia law there’s no requirment for a witness. On the other hand in Sunni law, either 2 male witnesses or 1 male & 2 female witness are required as witness of 1 woman is considered to be half witness.
Parties must be competent:
- Age of majority for marriage isn’t defined in Muslim law in accordance with the Indian Majority Act. Therefore, age of puberty is taken for the marriage.
- Parties must be of sound mind.
- They shouldn’t be disqualified from the society.
There should be free consent for marriage.
A marriage with a woman is prohibited by the reason of consanguinity. The term refers to the descendent of same ancestral blood relations. It bars a man from marrying his:
Grandmother.
Wife’s daughter/ granddaughter.
Wife to her father/ paternal grandfather.
Both maternal and paternal aunts.
Sister (whether consanguine or full sister or uterine sister).
A Muslim girl can marry a Muslim boy only.
A person cannot marry her foster mother, foster sister, foster daughter.
Term fosterage refers to a situation when a child under age of 2, is suckled by another mother then she becomes her foster mother.
Iddat period:
It refers to the waiting period. A period wherein a man has to wait before seeking remarriage from a woman who has been divorced recently or whose husband has died. This period lasts for 3 months.
In case a woman is pregnant then the iddat period lasts till delivery.
- A Muslim man cannot marry while he’s on a pilgrimage.
- Plurality of marriage:
A Muslim woman isn’t allowed to remarry while her former husband is alive. Polyandry is strictly prohibited.
Whereas, a Muslim man cannot have more than 4 marriages. If he marries for the 5th time then that marriage will be considered irregular.
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