The phenomenon of “part-time” marriages has sparked widespread controversy in Egypt in recent weeks with the country’s Islamic advisory body weighing in to confirm whether it is valid or not.
The Egyptian Dar Al Iftaa, an Egyptian Islamic advisory, justiciary and governmental body established to confirm fatwas or religious rulings, warned against relabeling marriage contracts “out of love for appearance and fame and destabilizing values.”
“We should not be drawn behind the calls for modern terminology in marriage which has increased in recent times wherein lies a love of showing off and fame and destabilization of values, which creates confusion in society and negatively affects the meaning of stability and cohesion of the family that our religion seeks and the state has nurtured through laws,” the Dar Al-Iftaa posted a tweet on its official Twitter account.
The trend began to pick up steam among Egyptians after Dr. Ahmed Karima, a Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence at the al-Azhar University, went viral after appearing on a talk show to approve it.
Karima had told a television program earlier that under Sharia law, conditions for marriage are two consenting partners, the presence of witnesses and a dowry provided.
“Once these conditions are met, the marriage becomes legitimate, and entails rights, including shared inheritance, cohabitation, and enjoyment in a legitimate way,” he had said, prompting people to take his words as an endorsement of part-time marriages.
