Misyar Marriage: Socio-Economic Impact on Women's Rights and Critical Analysis of its Legitimacy

Abstract: The paper highlights the utmost importance Misyar Marriages had carried lately as it envisages marriage with a condition that the spouse renounces some essential rights like maintenance, housing, among others. One can trace the origin of Misyar to the last three decades. As far as Misyar term is concerned there is no reference in the Quran or Sunnah. Translated the term Misyar means ‘’travellers marriage’’ or “marriage of convenience”. In the conservative Muslim society, the practice has been legal for decades. It is typically a temporary alliance in which the wife waives certain traditional marriage privileges, such as cohabitation and financial assistance. In a Misyar marriage, a man and a woman complete a Shar'i marriage contract and agree to all marriage-related terms, but the woman gives up some rights, like housing, maintenance, and having her husband spend the night with her. This study aims to unveil the shortcomings and adverse effects of Misyar marriage, rather than their short term benefits. This secondary descriptive study aims to evaluate Misyar unions in comparison to established matrimonial norms, shedding light on their dynamics, implications, and the socio economic impact on the women’s rights. The study concludes that Misyar is a violation of international law and do not comply with international regulations from a human rights perspective. Keywords: Misyar Marriage, Socio-economic Impact, Women’s Rights, Women’s Rights, And Legitimate Marriages