Global
Choose your country
The Shariah ruling is one, but marriage law differs from country to country. Malaysia first, then ASEAN and Saudi Arabia & the Middle East — choose where you live or marry.
Malaysia
🇲🇾Malaysia — the full picture13 states + FT — 14 Islamic family laws, statistics, cases & amendments🗺️Malaysia — state by stateEach state's enactments, departments and courts
ASEAN
🇮🇩IndonesiaUU 1/1974, KHI, Pengadilan Agama · Badilag statistics🇸🇬SingaporeAMLA s.96, ROMM · 0.18% of Muslim marriages (2020)🇧🇳BruneiIslamic Family Law Order 1999🇵🇭PhilippinesPD 1083, Shari'a courts, BARMM🇹🇭ThailandAct 1946 — 4 southern provinces; marriages of Malaysians🇲🇲Myanmar, Cambodia & VietnamMuslim minorities; monogamy laws
Saudi Arabia & the Middle East
🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaPersonal Status Law 2022 · GASTAT statistics🇦🇪UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain & IranGulf personal status laws🇪🇬Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia & TurkeyNotice to the wife, a judge's permission, prohibition
South Asia & the world
🇵🇰PakistanMFLO 1961 s.6 — Arbitration Council🇧🇩BangladeshMFLO 1961, the Kazi system🇮🇳IndiaMuslim personal law; Uttarakhand UCC🇱🇰Sri LankaMMDA 1951, Quazi courts🇲🇻MaldivesFamily Act 2000🇦🇫Afghanistan & Central AsiaUzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan etc.🇨🇳China, Japan & KoreaMonogamy; status of foreign marriages🇳🇬AfricaNigeria, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa🇬🇧UK, Europe, US, Canada, AustraliaBigamy is a crime; civil registration
🌍 World law table
A comparison of 20+ countries in one table.
✈️ Cross-border marriageTwo countries, two sets of laws.
📄 Marriage abroad & registrationRecognition, registration in Malaysia, visas, documents.
Sources & references
Indonesia — UU 1/1974 (Marriage Law); Compilation of Islamic Law (KHI); Badilag statisticsSingapore — Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 (AMLA), s.96; ROMMBrunei — Islamic Family Law Order 1999Philippines — Presidential Decree 1083 (PD 1083), Code of Muslim Personal LawsThailand — Act of 1946 (four southern provinces)Saudi Arabia — Personal Status Law 2022; GASTAT statisticsPakistan — Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 (MFLO), s.6; Bangladesh — MFLO 1961Sri Lanka — Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) 1951Maldives — Family Act 4/2000 (Family Act of 2000)India — Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand Act 2024 (UCC Uttarakhand)
The full list of sources for each country is on that country's page. For the latest rules in other countries, please refer to the authorities of the country concerned; in Malaysia, please refer to the Syariah Court or your state Islamic religious office.
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