Pressat

Recognition of Muslim Marriage Ceremony (Nikah)

Wednesday 22 November, 2017

The Law of Marriage in the United Kingdom

Family Law in the UK recognizes religious marriages of Christians,
Jews and Quakers but it does not recognize the religious marriages conducted
under the rules of other religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam. In this
way, it discriminates against people of these faiths. It is the religious
marriage that is important to many people and not the civil marriage because
they want to be married in the eyes of God rather than some secular body. In
fact, many do not even realise that they are not married in law. This
deprives such men and women of their rights under Family Law in the UK such as
division of assets and access to children. There is an urgent need to amend Family
Law in the UK such that the religious marriages of faiths other than those of Christians,
Jews and Quakers are recognized. We appeal to Parliament to take steps to amend
Family Law most speedily.

This organization does not, as a
matter of policy, perform a nikah unless the couple are married in civil
law. About 40 years ago, we formulated a temporary solution to a serious
problem by taking this step. However, this is an unsatisfactory solution to an
undesirable situation. We strongly urge Parliament to provide a better and a
more permanent mandatory solution to this problem.

The Ahmadiyya Association for the
Propagation of Islam (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam)
was established in Lahore in 1914 to promote the informed understanding of
Islam in the West. In the UK it operated the Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking
until the early 1960s. Its new headquarters is at Dar-us-Salaam, 15
Stanley Avenue, Wembley, HA0 4JQ, UK. In 1924, in Berlin, it built the first
mosque in Continental Europe of the modern era. The Berlin Mosque is now recognised by the German
government as part of the German national heritage. From its European and other
centres around the world this organisation has taught that Islam promotes
peace, harmony and mutual respect between all communities and nationalities.



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