Accepting Relationship As Marriage Without Any Official Recognition?

[Umer]

I am not sure if I understand your question. Is the couple claiming to be married even when they are not legally married? What kind of acknowledgement are they asking you for?

[Sabiha Masroor]

That they are husband and wife.

[Umer]

Sister your question is still not clear. Marriage is a legal institution. If two people chose not to get married, how can they ask others to acknowledge their marriage?

To answer your question to the best that I can understand it: a) no they are not married; and b) no one should acknowledge their marriage, regardless of Muslim friends or friends with any other belief system.

[Sabiha Masroor]

Jazakallah khair for reply.

Your answer is reaffirming. I’ll try again. A friend of mine believes that the non Muslim living in the US who live together and openly declare that they are living as husband and wife are lawfully married in eyes of Allah even if they don’t get married in church and that their relationship and children born out of such relationships are legitimate. She quotes Ghamidi Sahib that he says as long as an adult man and a woman openly declare that they are living as a husband and wife, they have done nikah in Allah’s eyes. Is this true? Kindly elaborate

[Umer]

I think that your friend must have taken something out of context or misunderstood it for some reason. Ghamidi sahab’s stance in this matter is very clear. Please refer to the following thread for details. The Ask Ghamidi Live video at the bottom of this thread should be particularly helpful.

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