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Does Akhter v Khan mean that English Law now recognises Shariah marriages?
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At first glance, it might appear from the reported case of
Akhter v Khan [2018] EWFC 54 that we have now finally arrived at the stage where English civil law has recognised an Islamic marriage (Nikah) which has been performed in England and Wales.
There has been support for the decision from various groups, interested well-wishers and even some family lawyers that finally, an Islamic Nikah is recognised as a valid marriage under English law, and the floodgates will now open for wronged Muslim women to come forward and pursue their divorces through the Courts of England and Wales.
Add to the mix the inaccurate and sometimes flagrant misreporting of the case in certain quarters of the media and we find ourselves in a sort of mild-level hysteria that all Shariah marriages will now be given the same status as a marriage carried out under the auspices of the Marriage Act 1949. This is not correct.
Read the full article here.
