Our Journal

What Happens to a Nikah-Only Marriage If One Spouse Country Doesnot Recognise Civil Marriage Abroad At All

Most countries recognise a marriage validly performed abroad — but a handful don't, or only recognise it under narrow conditions. This guide explains what actually happens when one spouse's home country refuses to recognise a Nikah performed elsewhere, why that refusal rarely touches the marriage's religious validity, and what couples can do about it.

Joint Custody Planning for Nikah-Only Couples Who Live in Different Countries

When a Nikah-only marriage spans two countries and children are involved, custody planning needs to start long before any separation is on the table. This guide walks through how international custody law actually works, what the Hague Abduction Convention protects against, and how Islamic guidance on hadana fits into a cross-border parenting plan.

How to Choose a Notary vs an Apostille Authority When Your Nikah Certificate Was Issued Online

An online Nikah certificate often needs one more step before it holds up abroad — but couples frequently confuse notarisation with apostille, sending their document to the wrong office entirely. This guide breaks down exactly which one your certificate needs, in what order, and how to find the right authority.

What UK Employment Tribunal Rules Reveal About Bereavement Leave Rights for Nikah-Only Spouses

No UK tribunal has yet ruled on a bereavement-leave case naming a Nikah-only spouse directly — but the closest real precedent, a marital-status bereavement benefit case that reached the European Court of Human Rights, plus the actual statutory wording employers rely on, tells Nikah-only couples exactly where they stand and what to document now.

Do Sharia Councils Publish Outcome Data? What the Governments Own Review Actually Found

Britain's Sharia councils have been the subject of a formal government review and multiple academic surveys — yet the most basic facts, like how many councils exist and how they actually operate, remain surprisingly unsettled. This article walks through the real published data, including the 2018 Home Office review's own findings, so couples know what to actually expect.

"A Nikah Was Insufficient Evidence": What a Real UK Tribunal Case Teaches About Spouse Visa Refusals

A real, publicly published UK Upper Tribunal decision states it plainly: both parties knew their Nikah alone would not support a spousal settlement application. This article walks through that actual case and a second real tribunal ruling on marriage validity, extracting exactly what evidence gap caused the problem and how to close it.