1822 Nov¼r 10

Tripoli. Account of

?.11. State of Property etc.

Condition in life

Hidaya[?] = Hanafi[?] [...?] Ibnan[?] Ammad[?]

Whether a man shall be deemed of ”age• or no © ”majeur• depends not absolutely on his age but on a certificate which he must obtain. Two persons are requisite to give validity to it: 1. the Iman of the Mosque to which he belongs: 2. a person of reputation belonging to that same Mosque Twenty or twenty©one is generally speaking the age at which he is presented for such certificate. The man of reputation is chosen by the relations. This certificate being shewn to the Cadi of the Judicatory, upon him it depends to give validity to the instrument which puts the young man in possession of his property

Marriage of a boy may have place at the earliest age if the relative of the girl consent. According to Hanafi a male child can not be forced by his father to marry: but according to Mahki he may

According to Hanafi no parent can force his female child to marry at any age. N.B. D'Ghies is of this Sect the Sect of Hanafi and is perfectly acquainted with the work. But he rather thinks that according to ”Mahki•, a girl may be forced to marry till she is thirteen years old: after which if she remains unmarried she can not be forced.

According to Hanafi, a girl before she is married is examined by a Notary te™áÀáte a te™áÀáte, neither father nor mother being present, that her freedom may be the better secured. According to law she may even marry without consent of father or mother: though access being a matter of difficulty, this is an occurrence that does not often happen.