A legal practitioner has stated that no Muslim in Ghana currently holds a marriage certificate issued by the state because the country has not yet fully integrated Islamic marriages into the formal civil registration system. According to the lawyer, this means that many Muslim marriages are not officially recognised by state authorities unless the parties also register their union under the Marriage Ordinance or other civil law provisions.
The lawyer explained that while Islamic marriages are socially and religiously valid within Muslim communities, they are not automatically backed by the state’s legal documentation. This situation, he noted, can lead to challenges for spouses when dealing with matters that require official proof of marriage, including inheritance, land and property rights, and other legal benefits tied to recognised marital status.
He urged lawmakers, the registrar general’s department, and relevant stakeholders to take steps toward legal reform that would allow Muslim marriages to be recognised and documented by the state without forcing couples to undergo a separate civil ceremony. The lawyer said clearer legal frameworks would help protect the rights of spouses and children and bring the registration of all marriages in Ghana in line with international standards.
The issue has drawn attention from members of the public and faith groups, with many calling for dialogue and action on how to integrate religious marriage practices with the state’s legal system.
