islamic laws Archives • Middle East 24/7

For many imaginable reasons, married couples don’t always end up “happily ever after.” Sometimes they do, but it takes a lot of work… more than you can ever imagine. However, in the event that married individuals decide against keeping their vows legally binding, and in effect, they will have to refer to the law prior to ending things once and for all.

ALSO READ: [Guide] Applying for a Temporary Residence Visa Extension in Kuwait

And since the law varies from one country to another, it pays for every citizen and foreign resident to understand what their country’s laws have to say about their circumstances. Do note, that in many other cases, individuals are fully aware about what the law maintains regarding certain types of union and marriages, by which they can use to their advantage as citizens of that state. And that’s an entirely different topic altogether.

Steps for Terminating a Marriage Contract in Kuwait

But for those living in the rather conservative Middle, East which includes countries such as Kuwait, residents will not only have to base their decisions and proceedings to the rule of the land, but also on religious laws observed in society.

And since Kuwait is an Islamic nation, terminating a marriage contract between a Kuwaiti and a non-Kuwaiti will have to be dealt with utmost care and planning to ensure that all angles have been fully considered.

It is for this reason that couples are advised to get legal counsel to assist them with this process, but once everything has been sorted out and agreed upon amicably, both parties will be required to prepare certain documents and carry out necessary steps to pursue the decision to terminate a marriage contract.

Requirements:

Civil ID or nationality of the Kuwaiti applicant
Civil ID or valid passport of the non-Kuwaiti resident applicant
For illegal residents: a letter from the Executive Committee as well as personal identification will be required of the applicant.
For widow applicants or those whose guardian is deceased: a document to support the determination of heirs will be required.
If the husband is a student, dealer, retired, or unemployed: a letter from the Public Institution for Social Security.
A certificate of divorce for the divorcee
If the husband is serving the military, a marriage permit from his superior must be presented.
A Special Power of Attorney

Procedures:

Visit the Authentication Office located at the Ahmadi Court Complex or Riggai Court Complex and submit all the applicable above-listed requirements.
Fill out the service application form, which will be provided on-site.
Pay the application service fee worth KD 7, as well as the fee for the visiting court representative (KD 6) and other fixed fees (KD 1).

As in any other place in the world, the process for terminating a marriage or filing for divorce can take up a significant amount of time to be accomplished, based on the surrounding circumstances leading to this purpose. If there is domestic violence and the children are involved, the judge will typically refer the case to professionals for counselling first. However, in the event that both parties refuse to seek counselling, both will be required to sign a document in order to bring the case to court, and only then will the legal proceedings begin.

ALSO READ: Celebrating Eid in Kuwait

When out shopping at your local grocery store, you may notice that there are certain food products which bear special labels on them. If you look closer you will see a symbol which says ‘halal-certified’ in some of them. While halal is a Muslim term, this special kind of food preference has branched outside of the Middle East, as Muslims (practicing or otherwise) can be found all over the world.

ALSO READ: 5 Things to Consider when Travelling to the Middle East during Ramadan

It is important to understand the local customs and Islamic traditions especially if this is your first time to visit the Gulf region. Halal doesn’t only describe non-pork items, but also include how the type of meat (whether fish, chicken, or beef) is cooked.

What is Halal and Its Significance to Muslims? — If you’re planning to visit the Middle East, it pays to know what food and drinks are considered halal and those that are haram.

Things to Know about Halal Food in the Middle East

In this post, we will provide details on what ‘halal’ is all about.

Islamic dietary food laws identify foods that are halal, which means lawful or permitted. On this note, the foods and drinks which Muslims avoid are called haram.

If you’re planning to visit the Middle East, it pays to know what food and drinks are considered halal and those that are haram.

Here are some of the basic things to note about the Islamic dietary food law:

Muslims only consume halal meat.

Now if you’re asking, “how does meat become halal?” We must first refer to the source of this law which is the Q’uran. According to the Islamic Shari’ah, to make meat halal or permissible, the animal or poultry must be slaughtered observing a ritual known as Zibah or Zabibah. To make it easier to understand, halal is somewhat equivalent to Jewish kosher, and Zibah is, with a few exceptions, almost the same as Shechita.

For halal purposes, it must be clear that:
- An animal should not have died prior to slaughter
- A Muslim should perform the slaughter
- Any flowing blood of the carcass must be completely drained out of the body.
- Choice of modern or newer method of food preparation has to be considered with caution, to ensure that the process abides to Islamic principles.
Pork is forbidden under Islamic laws, therefore:
- Halal slaughtering must not be done in the same place where pigs are slaughtered, or within the same area.
- As per animal welfare consideration, certain edits and rules have to be followed such as:
  - The animal has to be fed as usual and given water prior to slaughter;
  - Other animals must not see one of their kind being slaughtered;
  - The knife should be four times the size of the neck and razor sharp;
  - As much as possible, the slaughterer as well as the animal should face the Qibla or Mecca; and
  - The animal must not be suffering from any disease or injuries.

It’s quite interesting to find out why certain values and traditions are particularly important to a culture and group of people. Knowing this aspect of your travel adds value and meaning to your trip wherever it may be in the world.