Report comment

Ahmad Thompson: a nikah marriage can be recognised if it is celebrated pursuant to the Marriage Act - other non-Anglican faith groups manage it and so could Muslims. The expense is not great and the formalities are not onerous.

I have no difficulty with the idea that if you were religiously married and the marriage breaks down you need a religious as well as a civil divorce if you wish to remarry in the same faith - of course if you only have a civil divorce you can still remarry civilly. The Jewish Batei Din do not release the certificate that there has been an ecclesiastical "get" divorce until there is a civil decree absolute. That works.