[Magdalen] San Bernardino & IS.

[Roger Stokes]

On 05/12/2015 04:53, Sally Davies wrote:
> Regarding the marriage/engagement: there can be legal issues with Islamic
> marriages because in the traditional marriage ceremony the woman is not
> present - she's waiting at home, all dressed up, for the husband and family
> elders to complete the business at the mosque. At least that is what
> happens here, and could be why the US regarded them as engaged not married,
> until a civil marriage took place with both partners present to sign the
> register before the marriage officer.

That is the position in the UK as well.  Muslim weddings are not valid 
in civil law.  The couple have to go through a civil marriage as well.  
In some cases this has led to problems whgere the man claims the rights 
of a husband after the Muslim ceremony but refuses to get legally 
married.  If the marriage then breaks down he can go through the Muslim 
divorce process and the woman has no right to maintenance, etc which 
would be part of the civil divorce that would be needed if they were 
legally married.  She can, quite literally, left holding the baby and 
have to instigate another case to get maintenance for the child - which 
may or may not be paid as required.

Roger