Muslim family life in India is governed by a blend of Shariat and specific statutes—from marriage and divorce through mahr, maintenance, child custody and inheritance. Advocate Maryam Fatima provides accurate, compassionate advice across the full field of Muslim personal law, bringing both legal expertise and a woman-informed, Urdu-fluent understanding to every matter.
B.A. LL.B. · Muslim Law Specialist
Shariat · Nikah · Khula · Hizanat · Inheritance
📞 Call NowFor Muslims in India, family matters are governed primarily by Muslim personal law (Shariat) as applied through the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937. This Act confirms that matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, dower, custody and inheritance are decided according to Muslim personal law for Indians who follow Islam.
Alongside Shariat, several statutes shape specific areas:
Getting these right matters enormously in practice. The same fact pattern can lead to very different conclusions depending on how Shariat and statute interact—which is why a specialist who practises Muslim law daily is worth engaging.
Validity of nikah, offer, acceptance, mahr, witnesses, and registration.
💔Wife-initiated divorce and dissolution under the 1939 Act.
📣Valid talaq procedure and the 2019 triple-talaq criminal ban.
💰Prompt and deferred dower, recovery, and its role in khula.
Maintenance during and after marriage under the 1986 Act and related provisions, including Section 125 CrPC.
Custody of minor children guided by welfare and Hizanat principles.
📜Shares of heirs, wills up to one-third, and intestate succession.
⚖️Matrimonial disputes, mediation and litigation across family law.
Confirms that Muslim personal law governs marriage, divorce, dower (mahr), maintenance, guardianship, gifts, waqf and inheritance for the community. It is the foundational statute that keeps family matters within the framework of Shariat.
The ground for a Muslim wife to end her marriage through the court when the marriage has broken down—including failure to maintain, cruelty, desertion, imprisonment, impotence, insanity and more.
Criminalises instant triple talaq and gives a divorced woman rights to maintenance, dower and custody—a crucial protection for women.
Sets out the maintenance to which a divorced Muslim woman is entitled during iddat, from relatives, and ultimately from the State Waqf Board, where she cannot support herself.
Every Muslim family matter is different. The right answer depends on the facts of your case and how Islamic law and these statutes apply together. Speak with Advocate Maryam Fatima to understand your position.
We hear your situation fully, in English, Hindi or Urdu, without judgment.
We explain how Shariat and the relevant statutes apply to your facts, honestly.
We outline your options—negotiation, mediation or court—and the likely outcome and cost of each.
We act for you through settlement or proceedings to protect your rights and family.
Comfortable and accurate with the principles of Muslim family law.
Advise and draft in the language that makes you most comfortable.
Strong advocate for women's rights under Muslim personal law.
Practical experience across the Hyderabad Family Court.
Muslim personal law (Shariat), applied through the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, governs marriage, divorce, dower, maintenance, custody and inheritance. Specific statutes—the 1939, 1986 and 2019 Acts—add detail on divorce and maintenance for women.
Largely yes—the same Shariat framework and statutes apply across India. Within Shariat, the Hanafi school predominates in India, though other schools exist. Your lawyer applies the rules relevant to your community and facts.
Muslim inheritance follows fixed shares set in Shariat, with clear rules on which relatives inherit and in what proportion. It differs from the Hindu Succession Act. A will is valid only up to one-third of the estate, the rest passing by law. Learn more.
Yes. Under Hizanat the mother is preferred for young children, and courts apply the welfare-of-the-child principle at all ages. See our Hizanat guide.
Under the 1986 Act, maintenance during iddat, then from relatives who would inherit, and ultimately the State Waqf Board where she cannot maintain herself. Section 125 CrPC may also apply. An experienced lawyer secures the right route.
Muslim personal law has its own framework, terminology and procedures distinct from other family law. A lawyer who practises it daily will protect your rights more effectively and avoid costly errors.
Marriage, divorce, mahr, maintenance, custody or inheritance—get clear advice in a confidential conversation.