Family Law and Personal Laws
Muslim Family Law
Muslim marriage is a civil contract requiring proposal, acceptance, and witnesses, with dower (mahr) as a necessary consequence. Know the kinds of dower (prompt and deferred), the wife's right to maintenance, and the husband's right to divorce (talaq) and the wife's options (khula, mubarat, talaq-i-tafweez). Study the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 (registration of marriage, notice to Arbitration Council, restrictions on polygamy and talaq), and the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974.
Hindu, Christian and Other Personal Laws
Understand the Hindu Marriage Act, 2012, the Hindu Succession rules, the Christian Marriage Act, 1872 and the Divorce Act, 1869. Know the Special Marriage Act, 1872 for inter-faith marriages and the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 for custody.
Succession and Inheritance
Revise the Muslim law of inheritance: sharers (Quranic heirs), residuaries (asaba), and the doctrine of awl and radd. Know the difference between Sunni and Shia rules, and the rights of a widow, daughter and mother.
Traps
Questions often test whether a talaq is effective without notice to the Arbitration Council (it is not, under the 1961 Ordinance), whether a marriage without registration is valid (registration is evidential, not constitutive), and the difference between guardianship (wilaya) and custody (hizanat). Another trap is the treatment of a child's custody after the mother remarries.
Rule of Thumb
For any family law question, identify the personal law applicable, the statutory overlay (1961 Ordinance, 1939 Act, 2012 Act), and the procedural requirement. If the question concerns divorce, check notice, iddat and registration.