ABSTRACT
The Islamic marriage is not simply the union of a man and a woman; it involves also an alliance between two family groups. As the child born of a Muslim father is Muslim, the allowed mixed marriages invariably give birth to Muslim offspring, at least from the point of view of the Islamic community. In the discourse about women’s rights in Islam, which is developed out of a polemical comparison with the UN documents, women’s financial independence and nafaqa represent two particularly important issues. The Islamic law of marriage contributes to shaping the life of Muslim women, in interaction with statutes, case law, and customary law. It is the common reference for the supporters of radically different ideas, who animate the ongoing debate about the role of women in family and society throughout the Muslim world. Equality is a leading factor for the spouse choice; nevertheless, the lack of it does not per se entail the nullity of marriage.
