Written questions

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Islam

Commons · Question 11092 · Tabled 17 Jun 2026 · Ministry of Justice · Official record

Answered 25 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Nick Timothy

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to make it a legal requirement for Muslim couples to civilly register their marriage before, or at the same time as, their Islamic ceremony.

Answer

Answered by Catherine Atkinson, 25 Jun 2026

For a marriage to be legally binding, it must comply with the relevant statutory framework, principally the Marriage Act 1949. The Act allows couples, including Muslim couples, to have a civil marriage or a religious marriage by marrying in their register...