I may further mention for your very kind information that if...

I may further mention for your very kind information that if I go to Kadhi Court for the marriage Ceremony to be performed by the Chief Kadhi, then the local Representative and the Resident Bohra, Priest give Fatwa that my nikah' will be considered illegal and that my children will also be considered illegal, because the marriage ceremony will be performed by some one else and n by the Bohra Priest appointed by the Syedna Saheb.

Your Eminence, I only beg to know from you that if my marriage ceremony would be performed by a Muslim Kadhi will it be considered legitimate or not and that will my children be considered legitimate or not? A. For your guidance, I enclose herewith an old issue of our Magazine the Light (Vol. Ill, No. 6) and advise you to read the article 'Memorandum', which begins on page 6.

You may be interested to read para (b) on page 7 which says:- "(b) Islam, according to Shia School, has given a woman right to contract herself in marriage if she is adult and discreet." Also, see last paras under the sub-heading "State- controlled Clergy?" which says:- "The White Paper requires a Muslim intending to marry to give notice of his intention, 21 days before, to a Sheikh authorised by the Minister to solemnize marriages." It has overlooked the fact that Muslim boys and girls can solemnize the marriage themselves without any need to call a Sheikh and ask him to perform the marriage.

"We are sure it is not the intention of the government to create a new version of Islam which would have institutionalized clergy like Christianity. So why this reference to a Sheikh authorized by the Minister? Needless to say that this idea goes extremely against Islam." Q46: MARRIAGE OF A SEYYID GIRL WITH NON-SEYYID Can a Seyyid girl marry a non-Seyyid Shia Ithna-asheri, who is well-educated and has a high post in government? A. Yes.

And it does not matter whether he is well-educated and well-to-do or not. There is no colour, caste or race-bar in Islam. Q47: SLAUGHTERING CHICKENS DURING WEDDING As you know, our weddings are very traditional and some of our customs are un-Islamic. But it is sometimes difficult to distinguish if some of the things we do during the wedding ceremony are Islamic or not. For example, the bride and the groom have to step on the blood of a freshly-slaughtered chicken or goat.

Is this allowed in Islam? A. This rite is un-lslamic, and should be discarded. Q.48: SHOULD ONE WAIT FOR A GOOD WIFE?