What is the ruling on a marriage conducted online, in writing, between a man and a woman residing in two different countries, with the wife's two brothers as witnesses to the contract, and the dower being the wife memorizing three parts of the Holy Quran, knowing that this contract is not officially documented? What is the ruling on this marriage, and what should be done now?

We have previously clarified the invalidity of marriage contracts concluded via social media and ruled their prohibition as a precautionary measure to safeguard private parts. The method by which this contract was conducted is invalid, according to the majority of jurists, because it was done through writing and not verbal articulation. Therefore, the contract must be renewed. Any child born from the previous marriage would be attributed to you if you believed in the validity of your marriage. Regarding the dowry, if the intention was for the wife to memorize three parts of the Qur'an, there is a difference of opinion among jurists concerning the permissibility of making this a dowry. According to the view that permits it, these parts must be specified; otherwise, the dowry of her peers (Mahr al-Mithl) becomes due. If the intention was for you to memorize these parts, then this cannot serve as a dowry because it provides no benefit to the wife. We emphasize that whoever is ignorant of a Sharia ruling must ask people of knowledge and act according to their fatwa.