Fatwa #454337 September 2020Bangladesh
Can a woman sign her marriage certificate?
Question
Assalamu'alaikum,
In Pakistan and South asian countries it is considered shamelessness for a woman to sign her wedding contract or even read her weidding contract. Why is it so? And is it cultural or has any islamic reasons for that. Can a woman sign her own marriage contract and can she read it according to islam?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Shari’ah has granted women honour and respect.
There is no restriction from Shari’ah for a woman to read and sign her marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is not a pre-requisite for the validity of the Nikaah. It only serves as a legal document and a proof of marriage.
A woman may read and sign her marriage certificate.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad I.V Patel
Assistant Mufti,
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق (8/ 2)
( قَوْلُهُ : وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ النِّكَاحُ كَالْعِتْقِ ) قَالَ الرَّمْلِيُّ : أَيْ فَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ لَهُ كِتَابًا وَيُشْهِدَ عَلَيْهِ شُهُودًا صِيَانَةً عَنْ التَّجَاحُدِ