Q: 1: If a girl comes out of home on love affairs & appeals to a Muslim Organisation or Political Party for conducting her marrige without her parents cencern, is that legal & valid ?
Q: 2: In that marrige- nikah-nama, bride's adress is not mentioned & some other religious signed as witness. Is it valid?
Q: 3: Is love marriage allowed in Indian Muslims as per the Shariat Law?
Answer 1, 2 & 3. Marriage between muslim & non muslim cannot be solemnised under Muslim Marriage Act, it can be solemnised under Special Marriage Act. Since it is not mentioned if the boy is muslim or not, I am covering both scenarios.
If Girl & Boy Muslim, marriage under Muslim Marriage Act: It states that Nikaah or marriage is a contract and may be permanent or temporary and permits a man four wives if he treats all of them equally. There should be a proposal or `offer,` made by or on behalf of one of the two parties;
The Muslim marriage law also states that to have a valid marriage under the Muslim law, if a person is of sound mind, normal and has attained puberty at the age of 15 his or her marriage cannot be performed without his or her consent. There are certain prohibited relationships, whose marriage is considered void. Like mother and son, grandmother and grandson, uncle and niece, brother and sister and nephew and aunt.
i. An `acceptance` of such proposal or `offer` by or on behalf of the other party;
ii. The `offer` and `acceptance,` both, must be expressed in the same meeting. There is no prescribed form for proposal and acceptance. However, a proposal, made at one meeting and an acceptance, made at another meeting, will not constitute a valid marriage;
iii. The offer and acceptance must be made in the presence of two male witnesses, or one male and two female witnesses, who must be adult Mohammedans of sound mind; iv. A marriage, contracted without witnesses, is not void but is considered irregular. Such irregularity can be cured by consummation.
However, according to Shia law, the presence of witnesses is not necessary in any matter. In India, there is no need to register the Muslim marriage, as there is no law requiring registration.
If boy or girl of any religion, marriage under Special Marriage Act 1954: Any two persons irrespective of their religion can marry under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Conditions for Marriage.
Following conditions are required to be met for a marriage under this Act:-
(a) Neither party should have a husband or wife living.
(b) Neither party is an idiot or lunatic.
(c) The bridegroom must have completed 21 years and the bride the age of 18 years.
(d) The parties are not within the degree of prohibited relationship.
(e) Both parties should be citizens of and domiciled within the territories to which the Act applies.
Ceremony
(a) Notice to be given by the bride and bridegroom to the Marriage Officer of the district in which one of them had been residing immediately previous to the notice for atleast 30 days.
(b) Marriage Officer records the notice to a conspicuous part of his office and sends a copy to the Marriage Officer of the District in which the party giving the notice has permanent residence and it would also be affixed by the officer in his office.
(c) 30 days time is given for any person to raise any objections to the intended marriage.
(d) From the date of receipt of any objections within 30 days, the Marriage Officer should enquire into the objections.
(e) If the objection is upheld, either party to the intended marriage may appeal to the District Court whose decision shall be final.
(f) In case there is no objection or the objection is rejected, the parties with 3 witnesses sign in presence of the Marriage Officer declarations to the effect that they are unmarried and are not related within prohibited degrees and have completed 21 years (Husband) and 18 years (Wife).
(g) The marriage is therefore solemnized in any form which parties choose to adopt. The form must have the following declaration by each party to the effect; "I take thee to be my lawful wife (or husband)." The parties and 3 witnesses then sign the certificate of solemnization. This certificate is conclusive certificate of solemnization.
(h) The solemnization should be completed within 3 months from the date of notice and otherwise the notice lapses and a new notice will have to be issued. Civil Marriage by Registration: The marriage under the special Marriage Act is a civil marriage by registration.