Marriage Registration Versus Religious Validity: Legal Dualism In The Muslim World
Keywords:
Islamic Family Law,, Mariage Law, RegistrationAbstract
Marriage in Islam is a mishaqan ghaliẓan that encompasses both religious and legal dimensions. However, the modern era has brought about a tension between religious validity (fiqh validity) and state administrative formalities (civil registration). This study aims to analyze the legal status of unregistered marriages from the perspectives of classical fiqh and positive law, as well as to formulate adaptive policy strategies through a comparative study of five Muslim countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Tunisia. Using a normative legal research method with a comparative and statutory approach, this study finds that classical fiqh does not stipulate registration as a condition of validity, but contemporary scholars require it for the sake of the public interest (maslahah mursalah). The spectrum of positive law policies ranges from a lenient model without sanctions (Indonesia, Egypt), a moderate model (Malaysia, Pakistan), to a strict model with criminal sanctions (Tunisia). The lack of marriage registration has been shown to systematically infringe upon the civil rights of women and children. As an academic contribution, this article recommends a “Gradual-Strict Policy” model as a practical solution to bridge legal dualism in countries with conservative Muslim populations without neglecting the protection of civil rights.
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