Guidelines for Fatwas Related to Emergent Issues Affecting Muslim Families: Matrimonial Property in Light of Al-‘Urf, ¬Al-Masalih and Al-Ma'alat

This study examines the issue of matrimonial property when a spouse claims a share of the other's wealth in cases of divorce, death, or husband's second marriage. That is different from other rights entailed by the marriage contract like nafaqah (alimony), mut‘ah (post-divorce gift) and both prompt and deferred parts of the dower (muqaddam al-?adaq wa mu'akharuh). Studying this issue in light of ‘urf (custom), al-ma??lih al-mursalah (public interest) and al-m'?l?t (consequences), I found that these types of evidence or Ijtihad instruments do not establish this financial right for any one of the spouses. The financial rights secured by Shari‘ah during spouses' life by virtue of the marriage contract, or after they pass away through inheritance, are not matched by any positive law. Therefore, Muslims do not need such legislations that do not bring any real interest for spouses but rather result in numerous harms