Corrupt Marriage: Its Concept and Effects in Islamic Jurisprudence and Jordanian Law

This study aims to clarify the concept of corrupt marriage (al-zawaj al-fasid) in the terminology of Islamic jurists and under Jordanian law, as well as to explain the consequences arising from such marriages. The researchers employed the inductive method and the comparative analytical method. Among the main findings, the study revealed that the majority of jurists differentiate between invalid (batil) and corrupt (fasid) contracts, contrary to what some legal theorists of their schools assumed. Some jurists, however, consider invalidity and corruption synonymous. Jordanian personal status law distinguishes between an invalid marriage contract and a corrupt one but does not provide precise definitions of either; it only lists the cases in which a contract is invalid or corrupt. It was also found that the consequences of corrupt marriages are not fully applied but only to the necessary aspects. Such marriages are not permitted to continue and are subject to annulment by law. The study recommends that legal and family institutions conduct workshops, seminars, and lectures for youth to raise awareness about the negative effects and consequences of corrupt marriages.