In a case that highlights the complex interplay of religious laws and civil jurisdictions, a child custody dispute between a European man and his Jewish ex-wife took an unexpected turn after the woman embraced Islam. The case, which originated in Europe over a decade ago, found its way into Bahraini courts, where the jurisdiction became the key issue following the woman’s religious conversion.
According to attorney Eman Al-Ansari, who represented the woman, the former couple married over 10 years ago while residing in Europe and had a son together. However, the marriage dissolved after two years. Since then, the ex-husband has been involved in a relentless legal campaign, pursuing his ex-wife across multiple countries and accusing her of child abduction in a bid to gain custody and a significant financial settlement.
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The dispute escalated when the European father brought the case to Bahrain, where his ex-wife now lives and works. He filed a civil lawsuit seeking custody of their son, intensifying the legal conflict.
Jurisdiction Dispute Over Conversion to Islam
Al-Ansari argued that the civil court in Bahrain lacked jurisdiction over the matter, as her client had formally embraced Islam. She presented official documentation from the Islamic Awareness Center, which confirmed the woman’s engagement with the center since August 2024, and her official conversion in 2025 — both predating the lawsuit.
The civil court reviewed the matter and concluded that the argument was legally sound. Citing Articles 13 and 17 of Bahrain’s Judicial Authority Law, the court acknowledged that Sharia courts are solely responsible for personal status cases involving Muslims. It clarified that while inheritance matters remain under civil courts, custody disputes for Muslims fall strictly within the jurisdiction of Sharia courts.
The court confirmed the defendant’s conversion to Islam through verification of documents from the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Endowments, thereby placing the case outside its authority.
In its final decision, the civil court declared itself unfit to rule on the custody matter and officially transferred the case to the Sharia judiciary, which will now handle the sensitive family dispute.
