Women and Muslim family laws in Arab states : a comparative overview of textual development and advocacy / Lynn Welchman.

Includes bibliographical references ( pages 233-242) and index.

1. Introduction -- 2. Codification of Muslim Personal Status Law in Arab States --principle and processes -- Current debates; Bahrain and Iraq -- Legislation; judicial discretion and political process -- 3. Arab State Codifications and Women's Rights Advocacy in the Third Phase of Family Law Reform -- International law and Muslim family law -- Women's rights advocacy -- Recent legislative developments -- 4. Sharci Postulates, Statutory Law and the Judiciary -- Tunisia and the sharci postulate -- Judicial interpretation and legislative direction -- 5. Registration Requirements -- Unregistered and curfi marriage -- Overview -- 6. Capacity and Consent -- Minimum age of marriage -- The Jordanian debate on raising the minimum age of capacity for marriage -- Guardianship in marriage -- The role of the guardian -- Overview -- 7. Polygyny -- Constraints on polygyny in contemporary legislation -- Lawful benefit and financial capacity -- Notification requirements and consent of the wife -- Divorce options and validity issues -- Overview -- 8. The Marital Relationship -- Dower -- Maintenance and obedience -- Special stipulations in the marriage contract -- Misyar marriage -- Overview -- 9. Divorce -- Statutory approaches to unilateral talaq and judicial divorce -- Judicial khul in Egypt -- Judicial khul in Jordan -- Other approaches to judicial khul -- Divorce as a judicial process -- Compensation -- Post divorce rights to the marital home -- Overview -- 10. Parents and Children -- Period of custody -- Allocation of custody -- Paternity and adoption -- Overview -- 11. Concluding Comment .