Muslims can officiate non-Muslim marriages - Dr Maza

SHAH ALAM - Muslims can officiate the marriage of non-Muslim couples as long as there is nothing morally wrong about the marriage.

Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said marriage was a noble act and was encouraged by every religion as it prevented immoral acts.

He said the marriage of non-Muslim spouses was not recognised if it was established with a person that was illegal to marry.

"A marriage that cannot be recognised is one that involves a marriage between a father, mother with their child, between siblings or with somebody's wife.

"Those are forbidden, but if they married someone other than those, then it is recognised," he said in a video on YouTube.

Asri or better known as Dr Maza added that Muslims can officiate the marriage of non-Muslims if they did not mention the name of any other god in the lafaz (pronunciation of the marriage).

Dr Maza said some scholars believed that any lafaz that implied marriage in a community validates a marriage.

"Aku millikan wanita itu kepada engkau (I hand the woman to you). If the lafaz is considered as a marriage by the community, then it is valid.

"But if they (non-Muslims) asked to say 'in the name of Jesus' before the lafaz, then we (Muslims) are not permitted to officiate the marriage," he said.

He added that there was no need for non-Muslim couples to remarry if they convert to Islam.

He explained that the marriage before the conversion was accepted by the majority of scholars.

Dr Maza said Islam recognised a marriage before conversion into Islam, so their children can bear their father's name.