Conversion just for sake of marriage is not valid: Allahabad High Court

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has said in a case that conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid.

The court made the remark while dismissing a plea by a newly married couple.

The couple had approached the court to direct police and the woman’s father not to disturb their marital life.

Justice M.C. Tripathi passed the order last month in a petition filed by Priyanshi alias Samreen and her partner.

In the petition, it was stated that the couple got married in July this year, but family members of the woman were interfering in their marital life.

Dismissing the petition, the court observed, “The first petitioner has converted her religion on June 29, 2020 and just after one month, they have solemnised their marriage on July 31, 2020, which clearly reveals to this court that the said conversion has taken place only for the purpose of marriage.”

The court referred to the case of Noor Jahan Begum, in which the High Court in 2014 held that conversion just for the purpose of marriage was unacceptable. The petition was rejected by the Allahabad High Court in the case of Noor Jahan Begum praying to provide protection to the married couple as the girl was a Hindu in the case and married after converting to Islam.

In that case, the court had asked, “Whether conversion of religion of a Hindu girl at the instance of a Muslim boy, without any knowledge of Islam or faith and belief in Islam and merely for the purpose of marriage (nikah) is valid?”

The court at that time answered the question in the negative while relying on the teachings of the Quran.