A fatwa has been issued declaring Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's third marriage to Gauri Spratt illegal under Islamic law [1].
The ruling places the actor at the center of a religious dispute regarding the intersection of Sharia law and interfaith marriage in India. Because Khan is a high-profile public figure, the decree highlights ongoing tensions between traditionalist interpretations of religious law and modern celebrity life.
The fatwa was issued by the Muslim Personal Darul Ifta, which is headquartered in Delhi [1]. Maulana Ibrahim Hussain, the Shahi Chief Mufti of the organization, said the marriage is illegal because marrying a non-Muslim is against Sharia [2].
This legal challenge comes 10 days after the marriage announcement was made public [1]. The decree marks a formal religious objection to the union, which is Khan's third marriage [1].
However, the ruling has not been universally accepted among Islamic scholars. Qari Ishaq Gora, another scholar, disagreed with the fatwa and said there is no problem with Aamir Khan’s marriage [1].
The contradiction between Hussain and Gora reflects a broader debate within the community regarding the legality of such unions. While the Darul Ifta maintains a strict interpretation of Sharia, other voices suggest the marriage does not violate religious tenets [1, 2].
“"Marrying a non‑Muslim is against Sharia."”
The issuance of a fatwa against a global celebrity like Aamir Khan underscores the influence of traditional religious bodies in India's social fabric. While a fatwa is a non-binding legal opinion in Islamic law, its public issuance can create significant social pressure and fuel communal discourse. The disagreement between Maulana Ibrahim Hussain and Qari Ishaq Gora further demonstrates the lack of a monolithic interpretation of Sharia regarding interfaith marriages in the modern era.
