Islamic law

Islam permits the fulfillment of a man’s natural inclinations within reasonable limits so that no evil comes out of them. Islamic law permits individual ownership but discourages concentration of wealth within a small section of the society.

In Islamic law, marriage can be classified into being valid, void and irregular. As laypersons, people conjure up a many misconceptions about Islamic marriages. This discussion is an attempt to throw light on these concepts through accurate information based on various classifications of Islamic marriages.

The Special Marriage Act, 1954 provides legal recognition to inter-faith marriages in India. However, a problem arises in determining rightful ownership of such couples’ properties in case of succession.

The subject of inheritance is dealt exclusively by the personal and family laws of the different religions in India. This poses a dilemma of determining which law of succession to consider for a child born out of a marriage registered under the Special Marriage Act.

As a major religion, Islam was promulgated by Prophet Mohammed in the 7^thcentury AD. Literally, Islam means ‘surrender’ in Arabic. It implies that man must surrender to the will of God completely. For the same reason, Islamic law is considered as a complete code for living a spiritual and social life that regulates an individual’s relationship with others and the society as a whole.

So much is spoken of Islamic law and yet with so little understanding about its depth and substance. There is very little understanding about Islamic law. Islamic law is believed to be sacred throughout the world where it is practiced by followers of the religion. Over centuries in India, Islamic law has become synonymous as a body of independent laws that fit into an autonomous legal system.