Post
by Zerubbabel » Mon Feb 03, 2020 7:40 am
Hello
You can't use the expression "Nikah ceremony" in Algeria. That's in Pakistan. In Algeria, the word "Nikah" is not socially acceptable and many people may find it offensive.
The correct word in Algeria is "Fatiha" or "Fat'ha".
Some imams there may use the word "Nikah" to refer to marriage but only when quoting some hadiths or Koranic verses.
For starters, it's illegal in Algeria to perform a religious marriage alone without the civil marriage first. Reason: many women were abused by that. Algerian law has numerous protections for women but they are afforded only if the couple is properly married. In case of religious marriage only, the man can at any moment decide to get rid of the women, sometimes with the children, and she is in the street at the moment's notice.
In Algeria, these days, no one goes for a religious marriage only. It was the norm in some remote areas of the country some decades ago, but not today.
As it's illegal to perform religious marriages, most imams refuse to do it. Some independent imams might do it. However, they won't issue any paper (it can land them in jail!!!). No paper will be request from you neither. You are merely entering into a private/informal agreement so don't expect to see any paper.
For your information: such Fatiha won't be accepted for immigration purposes by the UK nor by the Algerian authorities.
If you tell them at the border you are coming for that, especially if you use the word nikah, they may put you back in next flight home.
If you need to know more, just ask.