Couples must legally confirm divorces at religious offices to prevent status confusion, child legitimacy issues, and potential slander, says Kelantan official.
KOTA BHARU: Divorced couples have been urged not to settle their separation privately without proper legal channels. Doing so can confuse marital status and affect the position of children.
Kelantan Islamic Development, Da’wah, Information and Public Relations Committee chairman Mohd Asri Mat Daud said every divorce must be confirmed at an Islamic religious office or Syariah Court. This includes divorces involving conditional ‘taklik’ clauses to prevent misunderstandings.
He cited a case where a woman remarried before her previous divorce was officially confirmed. This led to allegations that she had two husbands.
“The confirmation of a taklik divorce that is not made in court can be confusing. This matter should be referred to and confirmed at a religious office so as not to cause slander,” he said.
From a religious perspective, a new marriage is valid if it meets the pillars and conditions. Problems arise when the previous divorce is not legally confirmed.
In Kelantan, the Islamic Religious Affairs Department is investigating such cases. They summon imams, kadis, and marriage officials involved in the contract for further information.
“The number of cases is small, but the religious department will take statements from all involved to ensure accurate information,” Mohd Asri said.
Witnesses will also be called, and couples may be instructed to live separately temporarily until the investigation concludes. The community is urged not to place blame until investigations are complete.
Addressing allegations of fraud involving fake certificates, he said these cases exist but are few. They are not widespread and only become alarming when spread on social media.
He advised couples facing marital problems to seek advice from the religious department. All matters should be resolved according to legal procedures to avoid future complications.
