Unregistered marriages causing trouble.
Wedding trouble as UK Muslim marriages not recognised
A growing number of young Muslims in the UK are entering marriages that are not legally recognised, BBC Asian Network has found. This is because couples are having an Islamic wedding without the civil ceremony needed for the marriage to be recognised under British law.
Shaheeda Khan married her fiance in a traditional Islamic religious ceremony, the nikah, at her home in Birmingham.
After the wedding the couple moved to London where they started to build a life and home together but, 13 months into the marriage, Shaheeda realised that her nikah was not legally valid.
''I had to show a marriage certificate when I was enrolling at university. It was then I realised I didn't have one and it came as a big shock to me," she said.
Shaheeda, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said she asked her husband to register their marriage but he was against the idea.
A few months later she came home and found that the locks to her front door had been changed and that she had been thrown out of her home.
"I was homeless. I took legal action but I got nothing," explained Shaheeda. "I had been paying the mortgage on our home but the house was not in my name so I lost everything.''
Eventually, Shaheeda moved back home with her family.
Read more @ BBC News
The perils of young Egyptians' secret marriages
In the leafy grounds of Cairo University there are many dating couples among the crowds of students. Some sit close together in shady corners and hold hands.
Religious customs and ideas of social propriety in Egypt do not permit them to take their relationships much further.
However there is a way of bending the rules - urfi marriage.
Young Egyptians are said to be opting for these informal marriages in record numbers, often as a way of getting around religious strictures against premarital sex.
"It's a secret marriage between a boy and girl which even their parents don't know about," explains a 20-year-old archaeology student. "They don't announce it publicly."
"From what I hear there are a lot of students in this university who have urfi marriages," adds his companion, Dina.
...
It is difficult to get young women who have had bad experiences of urfi marriages to speak about them but one told us her story through a lawyer.
She explained she had never had a boyfriend before she went to university but met a fellow student on campus and fell in love.
He gave her many reasons why they could not formally marry but persuaded her to sign a urfi marriage contract.
They consummated their union at her house when her parents were out at work.
However the woman became nervous after her mother confronted her about blood on her bed sheets.
"Really I was afraid so I called the guy I married and told him he needed to come over and ask for my hand officially," she recalls.
"Straight away he found a lot of excuses why he could not come and we had an argument.
"He broke up with me and tore up our urfi marriage contract."
Eventually the student revealed to her family what had happened and they tried reporting the case to the police.
However as she had consented to sex she had no comeback. She said she felt humiliated.
...
read more @ BBC News
Not Meant To Be
Salam Alaykum, people! I know it's been a while but I've got another rap coming up. This is one is different, it's not as Islam related as the others, at least not directly, but Inshallah you'll like it anyway. It's called Not Meant to Be.
Those eyes look right into mine
Your smile makes the room proudly shine
Your hair feels way nicer than aloe vera
Cheeks so rosy, no one can ever hate you
I want to tell you it's all OK
That I'm just glad for today
That I'm happy for us to do it this
That nothing will shake this momentary bliss
But that smile of mine is about to die
Looking up and gazing down, I let out a heavy sigh
I'm stuck for words, don't know how I'm gonna say
That I'll be lying if I told you I wanted you this way
Contraception: Halal or Haram?
By Shaykh Salim Ghisa
The rule for contraception is different depending on the type of contraception used.
The basic ruling for contraception identifies two types:
1) Permanent Contraception
2) Temporary Contraception
1) Permanent Contraception
Any permanent form of contraception such as permanent sterilisation, the removal of ovaries, vasectomy etc is not permissible unless there is a risk of serious illness or death if it is not performed. The reasons for this are as follows:
- A person is taking an unnecessary risk to their health by having such an operation or procedure.
- A person is permanently changing the nature of the body from what Allah has created.
The Do's and Don'ts of Meeting a Potential Partner
By Alveena Salim
You've been through uni, you've got your education out the way, you don't fancy anyone and the chances of meeting someone have become increasingly slim so you've agreed to go through the meat market and meet a number of eligible bachelors/bachelorettes personally hand-picked by your parents. And in this incredibly socially awkward get together, in presence of your nearest and dearest over a cup of PG tips, you have to decide whether or not you can spend the rest of your life with the one introduced to you by your parents. No pressure eh?
By Alveena Salim
Issue 13: Ali & Jamal
By Sajid Iqbal & Zahid Maqbool
Ali takes Jamal with him to speak to his Dad about marriage...
Ali: Salaam Pops... how ya doin? This is Jamal.
Ali's Dad: Wa Alay Kum Salaam Ali. Did you bring me my Rusk biscuits? My milky tea is getting cold!
Ali: No Pop... I didn't, but I need to chat with you about summat serious...
Ali's Dad: NO! You cannot be on my car insurance!
Ali: Chill Dad, it’s more serious.
Ali's Dad: What! You want the remote control?
Ali: Nah... even more serious.
Ali's Dad: What!!??
Ali: Pops... I wanna... err… get married.