DDHK News, South Africa - South African Muslims now have an imam (ulama / religious figure) who can legalize Muslim marriages in the country.
Imams passed after taking a three-day course to learn about the 1961 Marriage Law. So far, Islamic marriage has not been formally recognized by the government.
The imams who graduated from the pilot project have been approved as marriage officers for the Muslim community, Wednesday (30/4).
"This is definitely a step in the right direction in the long struggle for Muslim marriages to be legalized," Hoodah Abrahams, a lawyer at the Women's Law Center, told Cape Times.
Islamic marriage is not recognized in South Africa. Since Muslims first came to the country 300 years ago, the government has not recognized their marriage.
Children born from these marriages are considered illegitimate, while women are not seen as partners when trying to claim their deceased husband's estate.
The first steps towards ending the dilemma ended Wednesday, April 30, 2014, when the first priests successfully completed a three-day course on the 1961 Marriage Law.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Vice President Kgalema Motlanthe, Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor, his deputy Fatima Chohan, and Muslim community leaders. (mel / onislam.net / localhost / project / personal / ddhongkong.org / ddhongkong.org). *
