Scholar says virginity law helps women abstain

Divisions have emerged among Muslims over plans by the office of the Chief Kadhi to scrap a section of marriage certificate requirement mandating women to declare their maidenhood.

The requirement has elicited mixed reactions with the faithful and clerics calling for an urgent meeting to address the traditional requirement.

For years, Muslim women have declared their chastity in the marriage certificate. However, the Islamic marriage committee recommended for the removal of that section.  

According to the office of the Chief Kadhi, in six months’ time, Muslim women will no longer have to declare their maidenhood in the marriage certificate.

Sheikh Ahmed Muhdhar says the section should be discarded.

“The matter was first raised in 2015. Then Islamic marriage committee went round collecting views from believers. The report that came back to my office is that Muslim women prefer scrapping of the section and that the issue of virginity status to remain between couples,” Sheikh Muhdhar said.

Virgin status

The Chief Kadhi said it was unfair for women to declare their maidenhood status whereas men were not required to.

However, Muslim clerics have not taken the matter lightly.

“The requirement that women should indicate their virgin status should not be removed. The section helps women to abstain,” Ms Sofia Omar, a Muslim scholar said.

Ms Omar says men should also be asked to declare their virginity.

“They should introduce a part of men mentioning their status,” said the scholar.

Council of Imams and Preachers Kenya (CIPK), Organising Secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa called for an urgent meeting between the faithful and cleric before the proposal is implemented.

“Let’s not mix issues, there are two types of certificates. One is when she is getting married for the first time where she states the virginity, and the other is when she is getting married for the second time maybe after a divorce or as a widow and she is obliged to state she is not a virgin.

“A meeting should be held to understand which part is being scrapped,” explained Sheikh Khalifa.

Kenya Muslims National Advisory Council (Kemnac) Chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao said Muslim believers have a right to push for the scrapping of the marriage certificate requirement.

“The percentage of men and women who are virgins has drastically declined. Girls start engaging in sex as early as nine years,” decried Sheikh Ngao.