Expert: Jamshaid Zubairee - 6/14/2009

Question
I married my husband 1 year ago.  We had a minister come to his house(in US) to do ceremony and sign state marriage certificate.  We tried to have another ceremony at the mosque but they wouldn't do the marriage contract stating we had to be apart for 40 days.    He had an arab friend do the ceremony but there is no contract in writing. My question is:  Are we married according to Islam and is our marriage valid in his country of Jordan?

Answer
Sister I can't get your complete situation. But if NIKAH has been done then you are married, no matter whether you have signed papers or not. IN the time of Prophet Muhammad PBUH no papers were signed. So signing papers is NOT a big issue. The only thing you need is to do Nikah, or nikkah, (Arabic: النكاح ‎) That is the Islamic way of marriage.
As for as the law of Jordan is concerned you can ask some local people in Jordan. I am a Pakistani.
Feel free to contact me again if you still feel unsatisfied.