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Directory of Islamic marriage authorities by country
A list of religious bodies, courts, fatwa bodies and Islamic marriage registration offices for the countries discussed on this site, with official website domains only where verified.
General information, not legal advice or a fatwa. Disclaimer
📘 What you will learn
- Identify the marriage, divorce and fatwa authorities in your country
- Know the order of referral: religious affairs office, Syariah Court, then the embassy
- Tell official institutions apart from unofficial websites offering marriage services
Key point: Marriage, divorce and court permission must go through the official institutions of the state or country concerned, not unofficial agents. Keep certified copies of every document and make sure a foreign marriage certificate has an official registration number.
This week's practice
- Find and save the official websites of your state's Islamic Religious Affairs Department and Syariah Court
- Check your marriage certificate: does it have an official registration number that can be verified?
- If you plan to marry abroad, contact the Malaysian embassy in that country first
At a glance
Order
Where Malaysians should go first
Keep certified copies of every document; make sure foreign certificates carry an official registration number.
Islamic Religious Affairs Office / DepartmentRequirements, forms and permission to marry in your state of residence.
State Syariah CourtPolygyny permission, wali hakim (if the wali refuses) and validation of marriages abroad.
Malaysian Embassy / ConsulateDocument verification and registration of marriages abroad.
Partner's home-country authoritiesStatus documents, wali's consent and official marriage certificate.
1How to use the directory
- This directory lists institution names and, where known with certainty, the official website domain. Phone numbers and addresses are not listed because they change often — get them from the official website.
- A blank (—) means the domain is not listed here, not that the institution has no website.
- For Malaysians' affairs abroad, start with the Malaysian Embassy or Consulate (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, kln.gov.my).
- Beware of unofficial websites offering marriage services — see the syndicate warning in cross-border marriage.
Recommended order for Malaysians:
- The district Islamic religious affairs office or the state Islamic Religious Affairs Department where you reside — for requirements, forms and permission to marry.
- The state Syariah Court — for polygyny permission, wali hakim (if the wali refuses) and validation of marriages abroad.
- The Malaysian Embassy or Consulate in the country of the contract — for authentication of documents and registration of marriages abroad.
- The religious and registration authorities in the spouse's country — for status documents, the wali's consent and the official marriage certificate.
Keep certified copies of every document, and make sure a foreign marriage certificate has an official registration number that the Malaysian authorities can verify.
2Malaysia
Islamic affairs are a state matter. Each state has its own Islamic Religious Council, Islamic Religious Affairs Department, Mufti's Department and Syariah Court; JAKIM and JKSM coordinate at federal level.
| Institution | Role | Official website |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) | Coordination of federal Islamic affairs; Muzakarah of the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) | islam.gov.my |
| Department of Syariah Judiciary Malaysia (JKSM) | Coordination of Syariah Courts; the e-Syariah system | jksm.gov.my; esyariah.gov.my |
| State Islamic Religious Affairs Department (e.g. JAWI in the Federal Territories, JAIS in Selangor) | Registration of marriage, divorce and rujuk; pre-marriage courses; prosecution | jawi.gov.my (FT); jais.gov.my (Selangor); other states — see the state government portal |
| State Syariah Court | Polygyny permission, validation of marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody | Through esyariah.gov.my or the state portal |
| State Mufti's Department (e.g. Federal Territories Mufti's Office) | State fatwas | muftiwp.gov.my (FT) |
| National Registration Department (JPN) | Birth registration and citizenship | jpn.gov.my |
| Immigration Department of Malaysia | Spouse passes and visas | imi.gov.my |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) | Embassy/consulate; authentication of documents | kln.gov.my |
3Southeast Asia
| Country | Religion / fatwa | Court | Marriage registration | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS); MUIS Fatwa Committee | Syariah Court Singapore | Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) | muis.gov.sg; syariahcourt.gov.sg; romm.gov.sg |
| Indonesia | Ministry of Religious Affairs; Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) | Religious Courts (Pengadilan Agama) (under Badilag, Supreme Court) | Religious Affairs Office (KUA) in every sub-district (kecamatan) | kemenag.go.id; badilag.mahkamahagung.go.id; mui.or.id |
| Brunei | Ministry of Religious Affairs; State Mufti's Department | Syariah Court (State Judiciary Department) | Registrar of Marriage, Divorce and Rujuk Office (KHEU) | kheu.gov.bn |
| Philippines | National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) | Shari'a District and Circuit Courts (Supreme Court) | Shari'a Circuit Registrar; Philippine Statistics Authority | ncmf.gov.ph; sc.judiciary.gov.ph; psa.gov.ph |
| Thailand | Chularajmontri (Shaikh al-Islam); Central Islamic Council of Thailand; provincial Islamic councils | Provincial courts with the Dato' Yutitham (Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, Satun) | Registered imams / provincial Islamic councils; district offices (amphoe) for civil matters | — |
4South Asia
| Country | Religion / fatwa | Court | Marriage registration | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Council of Islamic Ideology | Family Court; Federal Shariat Court | Nikah registrar under the local union council; Arbitration Council (Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, MFLO 1961 s.6) | — |
| Bangladesh | Islamic Foundation Bangladesh | Family Court | Licensed nikah registrar (kazi); Arbitration Council | — |
| India | No statutory body; All India Muslim Personal Law Board (non-statutory) | Civil Family Court | Local kazi; state registration where required | — |
5The Middle East, GCC and Iran
| Country | Religion / fatwa | Court | Marriage registration | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Council of Senior Scholars; Grand Mufti | Personal Status Court | Licensed ma'dhun, Ministry of Justice | moj.gov.sa |
| UAE | UAE Fatwa Council; General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Awqaf | Federal and emirate courts (personal status divisions) | Court / notary | u.ae; awqaf.gov.ae |
| Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain | The respective Ministries of Awqaf/Islamic Affairs; Grand Mufti of Oman | Family / Syariah Court | Court or ministry of justice | — |
| Egypt | Dar al-Ifta; al-Azhar | Family Court | Ma'dhun (Ministry of Justice) | dar-alifta.org; azhar.eg |
| Jordan | Dairat al-Ifta al-'Am | Syariah Court (Syariah Judiciary Department) | Syariah Court | aliftaa.jo |
| Morocco | Supreme Scholarly Council | Family Justice Section, Subordinate Court | 'Adul (Shariah notary) after the judge's permission | — |
| Turkey | Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (no jurisdiction over marriage) | Civil family court | Municipal marriage office (civil only) | diyanet.gov.tr |
| Iran | Marja' taqlid | Family Court (Judiciary) | Registered marriage notary office | — |
6Africa
| Country | Religion / fatwa | Court | Marriage registration | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Supreme council for Islamic affairs; state ulama councils | Syariah Courts and Syariah Court of Appeal (northern states) | Local government; Marriage Act registrar (civil) | — |
| Kenya | Ulama councils (non-statutory) | Kadi Court | Kadi / marriage registrar | judiciary.go.ke |
| Senegal | Sufi brotherhoods and ulama (non-statutory) | Civil court | Civil status officer (monogamy/polygamy option) | — |
| South Africa | Muslim Judicial Council and other ulama bodies (non-statutory) | Civil court | Department of Home Affairs (civil and customary) | dha.gov.za |
7Western countries (no statutory religious body)
In Western countries, only civil marriage is valid and polygyny is the crime of bigamy. The Islamic bodies that exist are voluntary and non-statutory; their decisions do not bind the courts.
| Country | Religion / fatwa | Court | Marriage registration | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Islamic Sharia Council (non-statutory) | Civil family court | Register office or registered mosque | gov.uk; islamic-sharia.org |
| Australia | Australian National Imams Council (non-statutory) | Federal Circuit and Family Court | Registered celebrant | anic.org.au |
| United States & Canada | Fiqh councils and mosques (non-statutory) | State/territory courts | State/territory marriage licence | — |
Legal details for each country are on the World page, the Western minorities page and the individual country pages.
Sources & references
Official websites of the institutions listed (domains as shown)Pakistan: Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 s.6Philippines: Presidential Decree 1083Thailand: Act on the Application of Islamic Law 1946 (check the latest rules with your state Syariah Court)
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