Our Journal

Can a Notary Public Officiate the Civil Side of Your Nikah in the US?

In six US states, a commissioned notary can legally solemnize your marriage — a far cheaper, faster civil option than most couples realize exists, and one that pairs cleanly with a separate Islamic ceremony.

Akhter v Khan: The UK Court of Appeal Case That Defined Nikah as a "Non-Qualifying Ceremony"

After 20 years of marriage, four children, and a High Court ruling in her favour, Nasreen Akhter lost everything on appeal — because her nikah, performed in a London restaurant in 1998, was ruled to never have been a marriage at all under English law. This is the case every UK nikah couple needs to understand.

The UKs 2026 Wedding Law Reform: What It Will Actually Mean for Nikah Couples in England and Wales

A 500-page Law Commission report, a government commitment, and a public consultation due in 2026 — England and Wales is on the verge of the biggest overhaul of marriage law in nearly 200 years. Here's exactly what's proposed, and what it would mean for nikah couples specifically.

Molla Sali v. Greece: The European Court Case That Changed Sharia Inheritance Rights in Europe

A Greek Muslim widow was stripped of three-quarters of her husband's estate — despite a valid civil will — because Greek courts ruled Islamic inheritance law applied to her against her will. The European Court of Human Rights' landmark ruling reshaped how an entire European country treats Sharia and civil law for its Muslim citizens.

Frances Criminal Law Against Religious Marriage Before Civil Marriage: What Every Imam and Couple Must Know

In France, performing a nikah before the civil marriage isn't just religiously incomplete — it can be a criminal offence carrying prison time for the officiant. Here's exactly what the law says, who it targets, and the loophole that lets an estimated 40,000 Muslim marriages a year escape it entirely.

Reynolds v. United States: The 1879 Supreme Court Case That Still Decides Whether America Protects Your Religious Marriage

A Mormon polygamist's 1879 Supreme Court appeal created the legal framework America still uses today to decide which religious marriage practices the government can regulate — and which it can't. Here's what it actually means for a nikah in the United States.