B P Collins Solicitors: talk to the experts
Gerrards Cross: +44(0) 1753 889995
Beaconsfield: +44(0) 1494 675363
Related stories
Lawyers go to the top of the class in directories
13 November 2008
Changes to Child Maintenance
27 October 2008
Conservatives propose pre-marriage education
1 October 2008
Family courts found to be fair
25 September 2008
Sharia law marriage contract grants women equal rights
08 August 2008
A new wedding contract drawn up following negotiations between Islamic organisations in the UK is to give Muslim women equal rights.
The change to sharia law will ensure both partners will be equal, while husbands will no longer have the right to polygamy, which was previously sanctioned under Islamic law, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Muslims in the UK have previously had a nikah ceremony that did not guarantee proof of marriage for the women, meaning many were denied financial rights when divorcing their husbands.
Commenting on the contract, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, director of the Muslim Institute which wrote the contract, told the newspaper: "The document is a challenge to various sharia councils who don't believe in gender equality but the world has changed and Islamic law has to be renegotiated."
Dr Ida Glaser, a director of the Centre for Muslim Christian Studies, told Lapido Media the new contract advocates acknowledging "the woman's role in marriage both in English and Islamic law", theasiannews.co.uk reports.
The expert said the agreement is a "modern interpretation" of Islamic law and ought to be "greatly encouraged".
