Family Law
Marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance, and domestic violence protections under Bahrain's Sunni and Ja'fari personal status laws.
Marriage Requirements and Registration
Bahrain has a dual personal status system — one set of rules for Sunni Muslims and another for Shia Muslims. Non-Muslims may marry under their own religious laws or through civil procedures:Legal age:...
Divorce Procedures
Divorce in Bahrain can happen through several paths depending on sect and circumstances:Talaq (husband-initiated): The husband may pronounce divorce. Under the 2017 law for Sunni cases, the talaq must...
Child Custody (Hadana)
Child custody (hadana) rules in Bahrain differ between Sunni and Shia legal traditions, but both prioritise the child's welfare:Sunni law (2017 Act): The mother has primary custody of boys until age 1...
Child Support and Spousal Maintenance
Bahrain law requires fathers to support their children and, in many cases, requires husbands or ex-husbands to provide maintenance (nafaqa) to their wives or former wives:Child support: The father is...
Inheritance Rules
Inheritance in Bahrain is governed primarily by Islamic Sharia rules, with differences between Sunni and Shia jurisprudence:Fixed shares (fara'id): Certain heirs — including the spouse, parents, sons,...
Domestic Violence Protections
Bahrain enacted a dedicated domestic violence law in 2015, providing legal tools to protect victims of family abuse:Definition: Domestic violence includes physical, sexual, psychological, and economic...
Guardianship and Child Welfare
Guardianship (wilaya) in Bahrain covers legal authority over a child's person and property, separate from physical custody (hadana):Legal guardian: The father is the default legal guardian of the chil...
Personal Status for Non-Muslims
Non-Muslims in Bahrain are not bound by Islamic personal status laws and have separate options for marriage, divorce, and inheritance:Marriage: Non-Muslims can marry through their own religious instit...