In the densely packed lanes of Hyderabad’s Old City, an unspoken crisis festers silently, scores of poor Muslim women are being exploited through undocumented “Khutbah shaadis”, a form of contract marriage that takes place without any legal or religious certification. Behind the veils of tradition and poverty lies a deeper structural problem: the absence of marriage registration, leaving abandoned women with no legal recourse, dignity, or sustenance.
Take the case of Rabia, a 28-year-old woman, who was overjoyed when Imran, a small-time trader from Hussaini Alam, proposed to her. For Rabia’s family, daily-wage earners burdened with five children, this seemed like a stroke of good fortune. Imran demanded a low-key wedding, without a Qazi, without a nikah nama (Islamic marriage contract), promising only a verbal mehr of Rs 50,000 and two witnesses. That was all it took to declare them “married”.
Three months later, Rabia was abandoned. No written contract, no Qazi, no legal registration, just bruises and broken trust.
“Without a nikah nama, how can I take any legal action? He has vanished. My parents knew this was illegal, but they thought at least they’d have one less mouth to feed,” Rabia tearfully told TOI, now back at her parents’ house and terrified of confronting the man she once trusted.
A Pattern of Exploitation
These undocumented marriages, referred to locally as “Khutbah ki shaadis” (named after the religious sermon recited during official nikahs), are increasingly being used as a loophole to exploit poor Muslim women.
Social activists report that such “marriages” have no religious sanctity, let alone legal validity. Yet, they continue unabated, facilitated by clandestine marriage bureaus that charge hefty commissions and assure clients that no police or court will be involved.
“They get a woman who is poor, often past the so-called ideal marriage age, ‘marry’ her for a few months, and discard her like used property,” said Jameela Nishat, founder of the Shaheen Women’s Resource and Welfare Association, who has been documenting such cases for years. “Since there’s no paperwork, the woman has no evidence. It’s a modern-day mutation of exploitation.”
Another victim, Samiya, aged 33, had a similar story. Her husband left her after eight months, dropped her at her mother’s house, and later confessed to having a girlfriend. “He said he was never legally bound to me. I have no papers, no mehr, nothing,” she said, now pleading for minimal financial support just to survive.
Adultery Ruling and Triple Talaq Ban
Activists link the rise of these sham marriages to two recent legal shifts in India: the 2017 ban on instant triple talaq and the 2018 decriminalisation of adultery. Both reforms were meant to protect women, but inadvertently triggered a rise in informal marriages, as some men began exploiting legal grey zones to evade alimony, child custody, and criminal prosecution.
“These marriages are not just religiously invalid; they are a legal fraud,” said Nishat. “Men are using loopholes to avoid obligations. And poor women, who don’t have literacy, legal awareness, or money, are being punished the most.”
Underground Marriage Bureaus Flourish
An undercover investigation by TOI revealed illegal marriage bureaus operating in localities like Langar Houz, openly arranging Khutbah shaadis. A bureau representative, contacted while posing as a potential client, said: “Yes, we’ll get it done for three months. No Qazi, no documents. No police problem.”
These bureaus not only facilitate exploitation but also deliberately bypass legal safeguards meant to protect women’s rights under both Indian law and Islamic principles. The Nikah nama, in fact, is a basic legal requirement in Muslim marriage, which guarantees a woman’s rights to mehr, maintenance, and inheritance. Yet, many families, driven by poverty and social pressure, overlook this necessity in exchange for temporary security.
The Urgent Need for Marriage Registration
This crisis is not confined to one religion. A mandatory registration of marriages, be they Hindu, Muslim, or otherwise, must be rigorously enforced. Unregistered marriages, across communities, leave women vulnerable to abandonment, polygamy, and financial destitution.
Women like Rabia and Samiya are the faceless casualties of an unholy nexus between ignorance, poverty, and patriarchal manipulation. They underscore the urgent need for legal and social intervention, particularly:
1) Mandatory marriage registration across religions
2) Crackdown on illegal marriage bureaus
3) Legal aid and awareness drives for women in vulnerable communities
4) Empowerment of Qazis and local religious bodies to ensure documentation compliance
As the battered alleys of Hyderabad continue to echo with stories like Rabia’s, the question remains: How many more women will be dumped and discarded before the law catches up with those exploiting its loopholes?
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