Interfaith Marriages in Jordan

VS says: 12 November 2016

Information about Interfaith Marriages in Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

95% of the population is Muslim, and 93% of those are Sunni. Christians are about 4%.

Most of this information is from my professor Muslim woman who is married to a Muslim man, has a university degree, is studying German, and teaching Arabic (i.e. intelligent and accomplished). It was corroborated by another friend, who is an engineer.

My professor had three sisters-in-law that were not Muslim. They were accepted by the family. One converted, but the other two didn’t, and of those, one divorced.

General Division of Law

The Religious Court primarily uses Shariah law to govern personal family life and Jordanian Civil Courts govern other affairs.

A current example of this growing distinction of religious law from civil law is the change in personal identification cards. In the past the cards listed the individual’s religion, but are now being reissued without the religion.

From Wikipedia, under “Jordan”, accessed 11-13-2016: “Article 97 of Jordan’s constitution guarantees the independence of the judicial branch, stating that judges are “subject to no authority but that of the law.” Article 99 divides the courts into three categories: civil, religious, and special. The civil courts deal with civil and criminal matters, and have jurisdiction over all persons in all matters civil and criminal, including cases brought against the government. The civil courts include Magistrate Courts, Courts of First Instance, Courts of Appeal,[103] High Administrative Courts which hear cases relating to administrative matters,[104] and the Constitutional Court which was set up in 2012 in order to hear cases regarding the constitutionality of laws.[105] The religious court system’s jurisdiction extends to matters of personal status such as divorce and inheritance, and is partially based on Sharia Islamic law.[106] The special court deals with cases forwarded by the civil one.[107]”

Marriage (Nikah) under Shariah law:

Shariah law prevails over family matters.
Shariah courts, part of the Islamic Affairs Department, interpret and enforce Shariah law. Punishments may not include physical punishment.

Muslim women may marry only Muslims. If they want to marry a non-Muslim, the man must convert to Islam.

It is preferable for Muslim men to marry Muslim women. However, Muslim men may marry non-Muslim women, and the women do not need to convert. Children are raised in the same religion as the father, no matter what the mother’s religion. In mixed marriages, I was told the reality is less stringent than the Shariah law.

Shariah law can give women extensive rights and protections. Both women I talked to strongly felt that Shariah law gives them much protection. Before marriage, there is nearly always a written legal contract made between the man and the woman, called a mahr. Women must give their consent to marriage, either verbally or by default by their silence.

The marriage contract is signed by both parties to the marriage and witnessed by about three people. It spells out that the man will give a certain amount of money to the woman before consummating the marriage. In hardship cases some of the mahr may be given after the marriage. The purpose of the money is to provide a woman with financial security if her husband divorces her.

The King, his wife and children must be Muslim.

Women can initiate a divorce if there is reason. If there is a divorce, children remain with the mother until they are 15 years old and the father must support them. Polygamy is permitted for the man, but not the woman. There are stringent requirements for marrying a second wife, and the practice is uncommon in Jordan.

Marriage is now and has been a partnership between two people. The traditional roles have a division of labor where the man works outside the home and makes himself available to do errands such as shopping and b) the woman works in the home caring for the children, cooking, and cleaning. Recently there has been a very slight shift to the man and woman SHARING the tasks, but the division of labor still predominates.

Family life:

In the Arab culture, spending time by oneself, except to work or study, is generally viewed as undesirable and to be avoided if possible. Close relations, neighbors, and friends frequently visit among themselves. People are rarely alone for long.

Dress:

Covering of a woman’s head, as with a scarf, is a personal or family decision. About half the women do and half don’t. All women dress modestly, but most look chic. I only saw two women fully covered in a month.
Khula /Divorce – Morocco, Syria, Jordan (from Wikipedia under “Khula”, retrieved Nov 12, 2016)
“In Morocco, if a woman is coerced or harassed by her husband, the husband has no entitlement to compensation. In Morocco, Syria, and Jordan, compensation other than money can include child care or custody. In Jordan, a new law has been recently passed that allows a woman to end her marriage by using the principle of khula itself. Within the first two passing this law, the courts saw an exponential increase in khula lawsuits. The law has yet to be approved by parliament, however, it is still condemned by many lawyers to this day.”
Women have the same property rights as men.

Individually or jointly, women and men may own real estate and other property. A woman may inherit land or money from her parents and it remains hers if she wishes. Upon the death of her husband, she inherits at least part of the estate.

Alcohol:

Alcohol sale and consumption is not prohibited in Jordan. However, nearly all residents do not drink in public. Most do not drink in private, but a minority do drink at home. Not once did I enter a restaurant or café that served alcohol. Menu items called “cocktails” were exotic blends of fruit juices.

Praying:

From what I know, women usually pray at home and not as mosques, although some younger ones do so.

LGBT Rights (from Wikipedia Nov. 12, 2016)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Jordan are considered to be relatively advanced, compared to most other countries in the Middle East. Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1951, becoming one of few Muslim countries to do so. However, LGBT people displaying public affection can be prosecuted for “disrupting public morality”. A general interest gay magazine is published in Jordan. Most LGBT persons face social discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT residents.[1]
From Wikipepdia, retrieved 11-12-2016: “In 1951, a revision of the Jordanian Criminal Code legalized private, adult, non-commercial, and consensual sodomy, with the age of consent set at 16.[2]
The Jordanian penal code no longer permits family members to beat or kill a member of their own family whose “illicit” sexuality is interpreted as bringing “dishonor” to the entire family.[3] As of 2013, the newly revised Penal Code makes honor killings, as a legal justification for murder, illegal.[4]”

View videos: Interfaith Marriage with Equality, All you want to know about the Hindu-Muslim Marriage, Sharia: Hindu-Muslim Marriages,
Also read:Marriage laws, Marriage laws in Malaysia, Koran on Hindus?, Don’t fake-convert.
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