What is the difference between Hindu Marriage Act and Muslim Marriage Act? The Hindu Marriage Act and the Muslim Marriage Act are two different personal laws that govern the aspects of marriage, divorce, and inheritance for the respective communities in India. Some of the main differences are: - The Hindu Marriage Act applies to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs, while the Muslim Marriage Act applies to Muslims only. - The Hindu Marriage Act considers marriage as a sacred bond, while the Muslim Marriage Act considers marriage as a civil contract. - The Hindu Marriage Act requires the performance of certain rituals and ceremonies for a valid marriage, while the Muslim Marriage Act requires the consent of the parties and the payment of dower (mahr) for a valid marriage. - The Hindu Marriage Act allows monogamy only, while the Muslim Marriage Act allows polygamy up to four wives for a man. - The Hindu Marriage Act provides for various grounds for divorce, such as cruelty, adultery, desertion, conversion, etc., while the Muslim Marriage Act provides for divorce by mutual consent (khula), by the husband (talaq), by the wife (li'an), by judicial intervention (fasakh), etc. - The Hindu Marriage Act grants equal rights to both the spouses in the property of the deceased, while the Muslim Marriage Act grants a fixed share to the spouse according to the Islamic law of inheritance. These are some of the major differences between the Hindu Marriage Act and the Muslim Marriage Act. However, there are also some similarities, such as the minimum age of marriage, the prohibition of incestuous and sapinda marriages, the recognition of customary practices, etc.