Cairo: Egypt's first woman marriage registrar has promised to endeavour to reduce divorce rates.
"I will be in a better position than my male counterparts to listen to women facing marriage difficulties, and assist them and their partners in resolving their differences," said Amal Sulaiman Afifi after a family court appointed her the first woman marriage registrar.
The court in Zagaziq, chose Amal, 34, over ten other applicants for the job (all men) due to her "distinguished legal qualifications."
"I was always confident that the court would support my application for the job. I was the only one among the applicants holding an MA degree in Sharia (Islamic law). Besides, I was sure that I would not be excluded on gender grounds. Islam and the law treat men and women on an equal footing," a jubilant Amal told Gulf News.
Some four months ago, Amal, a mother of three, applied for the job, traditionally done by men. Her application has raised many eyebrows in this conservative Muslim society.
Eight years ago, another woman in Giza, south of Cairo, applied for the job, but her bid was blocked after the then Mufti of Egypt passed a fatwa (religious edict) against women doing the job.
Last month, however, Ali Jumaa, Egypt's incumbent Mufti, declared that there are no restrictions in Islam on women to operate as marriage registrars.
"According to the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence [followed in Egypt], women are allowed to conduct any form of financial, commercial or familial contract, including marriage," said Jumaa.
Some Muslim clerics disagree, nonetheless.
"This job is unfit for women as it usually requires mixing with men for a long time, a requirement which is against Islam," said Anwar Dabour, a professor of Sharia.
