Child Marriage in Islam 2019 Acronyms AKDN Aga Khan Development Network CAR Central African Republic EFM Early and forced marriage HDI Human Development Index HRC Human Rights Council INSS Indonesia’s National Socioeconomic Survey LJCP The Law and Justice Commission Pakistan MEMRI Middle East Media Research Institute MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey OIC Organization of Islamic Countries UNICEF The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNDP United Nation Development Programme Pakistan UN United Nation PBUH Peace Be Upon Him SDGs Sustainable Development Goals UNCRC United Nation Convention on Rights of Children CEDAW Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination UNDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights WB World Bank Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 01 ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Methodology .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter 02 ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 What is Marriage in Islam? .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Legal Aspect of Islamic Marriage ........................................................................................................ 6 2.1.2. Social Aspect of Islamic Marriage ...................................................................................................... 7 2.1.3. Religious Aspect of Islamic of Marriage ........................................................................................... 7 2.1.4. Significance of Marriage in Islam ...................................................................................................... 8 2.2. Who is a Child? ............................................................................................................................................ 12 2.3. What is Child Marriage? ............................................................................................................................ 13 Chapter 03 ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1 South and East Asia .................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 Afghanistan ........................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.2 Bangladesh ............................................................................................................................................ 15 3.1.3 Iran .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1.4 Maldives ................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.1.5 Child Marriage in Pakistan .............................................................................................................. 17 3.1.6 Malaysia ................................................................................................................................................. 17 3.1.7 Indonesia ............................................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Central Asia .................................................................................................................................................. 18 3.2.1 Kazakhstan ............................................................................................................................................ 18 3.2.2 Uzbekistan ............................................................................................................................................. 19 3.2.3 Tajikistan ................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.2.4 Turkmenistan ........................................................................................................................................ 20 3.2.5 Azerbaijan Republic ............................................................................................................................. 20 3.3 Middle East ................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.1 Saudi Arabia .......................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.2 Yemen .................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.3 Lebanon ................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.3.4 Jordon ..................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.3.5 Syria ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 3.3.6 Iraq .......................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.4 African Countries......................................................................................................................................... 23 3.4.1 Niger ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 3.4.2 Central African Republic ..................................................................................................................... 23 3.4.3 Chad ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 3.4.4 Burkina Faso ......................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.5 Mali ......................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.6 Guinea .................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.7 Somalia ................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.8 Sierra Leone .......................................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.9 Mauritania ............................................................................................................................................. 25 3.4.10 Morroco ............................................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.11 Comoros .............................................................................................................................................. 25 3.4.12 Sudan ................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.4.13 Senegal................................................................................................................................................. 26 3.4.14 Egypt ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 04 ............................................................................................................................................................... 28 4.1. Marriageable Age in Islam ....................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.1. The Debate over Hazrat Syeda Aisha ............................................................................................. 32 4.2 Selecting a Pious Partner ........................................................................................................................... 34 4.3 Forced Marriage .......................................................................................................................................... 35 4.4 Basic Rights of Children ............................................................................................................................