Sharjah court lets woman marry man of her choice

Sharjah - The woman filed a lawsuit in court, asking the judge to be her guardian so that she could marry the youth.

In a landmark ruling, the Sharjah Shariah Court has permitted an Emirati woman to marry a man of her choice.
The Sharjah Shariah Court has allowed a 35-year-old Emirati woman to marry a young man, whose proposal had been rejected repeatedly by her elder brother.
The court, presided by Judge Omar Bakhit Al Ghafli, issued a verdict in the lawsuit, allowing the woman to marry him.
In her lawsuit, the woman stated that based on the UAE law, if a woman is above 18 and her legal guardian refuses to let her marry, she has the right to refer the matter to a judge.
According to the prosecution sheet, the woman tried to convince her brother to accept the man's proposal, but he refused.
The brother told the family guidance officials that his sister belongs to a family of good reputation and the entire family members do not want her to marry a man who does not match with their social and status, despite the man has did higher education and working in UAE Armed Forces.
The brother has said that he refused to marry her off to her advantage as he knows the things that are good for her.
The elder brother, who is the legal guardian as per the Article 32 of the Personal Status Law, refused the man without thinking that a woman of 35 will not be able to find eligible suitors as men prefer to marry young women.
The plaintiff's lawyer Majed Al Jallaf to told the judge that the man is reputed and has good knowledge of religion. Besides, the woman is very rational and eligible for marriage.
Al Jallaf also sought the transfer of jurisdiction from the brother to the judge to marry her.
According to Article 30 of the Emirati Personal Status law if a person completed 18 years of marriage age and guardian denies right to marry, the matter can be raised before the judge, who will summon the guardian to present justifiable reasons for his refusal.
amira@khaleejtimes.com 

• UAE