Code of Conduct

A. Purpose and Scope

NikahRegister.co.za is entrusted with recording and safeguarding Muslim marriage records on behalf of the South African Muslim community. The integrity, accuracy, and sanctity of those records depend on every person who accesses the system behaving with the highest standards of honesty, responsibility, and respect.

This Code of Conduct establishes the standards of behaviour expected of:

• Mosque Administrators — staff or volunteers at registered Masaajid who capture and manage Nikah records
• Officiating Imams / Aalims — who review and confirm records of Nikahs they have officiated
• SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) Administrators and Support Staff — who have system-wide access and manage the platform
• Any other registered user who accesses the system in any capacity

This Code applies to all interactions with the system, its data, and all communications made in connection with NikahRegister.co.za. It operates alongside and does not replace the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

B. Islamic Principles

The Nikah is one of the most sacred institutions in Islam. Every record entered into NikahRegister.co.za represents a covenant (mithaq) between two Muslims, witnessed by their community, and ultimately before Allah ﷻ. All users are reminded that:

• Honesty (sidq) is an obligation — entering false or inaccurate information is a grave matter
• Trust (amanah) is placed in every authorised user — this trust must be honoured
• Protecting private information is an Islamic duty as well as a legal one
• The marriage records of Muslims are a community trust — they must be treated accordingly

C. Accuracy and Integrity of Records

Every user is responsible for the accuracy of the information they submit or confirm. This means:

• All names, ID numbers, dates, and other details must be entered exactly as they appear on verified identity documents
• Nikah records may only be created for ceremonies that have genuinely and lawfully taken place
• No record may be backdated, pre-dated, or altered to reflect circumstances other than what actually occurred
• Corrections to existing records must be made through the proper channels and must accurately reflect the genuine error being corrected — not be used to alter the substance of a record
• Supporting documents (Nikah certificates, ID copies, civil marriage documents) must be authentic and unaltered

D. Confidentiality and Data Protection

NikahRegister.co.za holds sensitive personal information about Muslim couples and their families. Every user has a duty to protect this information:

• Do not share access credentials — your username and password are personal and must never be shared with any other person
• Do not disclose personal information about any party to an unauthorised person, including to family members who are not themselves a party to the record
• Do not access records outside of your authorised scope — mosque administrators may only access records for their own mosque; they may not browse records from other Masaajid
• Do not export, copy, or transmit personal data from the system except as authorised (e.g. generating a Nikah certificate for the parties)
• Report any suspected data breach or unauthorised access immediately to SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) at info@nikahregister.co.za
• All personal data must be handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy and the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA)

E. Acceptable Use of the System

The system may only be used for its intended purpose — registering, managing, and verifying Muslim marriages. Users must:

• Use their account only for legitimate, authorised activities within their assigned role
• Log out of the system when their session is complete, especially on shared or public devices
• Keep their login credentials secure and change their password immediately if they suspect it has been compromised
• Report any technical errors, unexpected behaviour, or security concerns promptly
• Cooperate with any audit or investigation by SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) into system use

The following constitute unacceptable use of the system:

• Accessing the system for any purpose unrelated to the legitimate registration or management of Nikah records
• Attempting to circumvent security controls, access controls, or audit mechanisms
• Using automated tools, bots, or scripts to interact with the system without prior written authorisation from SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established)
• Accessing another user's account, whether with or without their permission
• Using the system to harass, stalk, or gather information about any person

F. Conduct Specific to Mosque Administrators

Mosque administrators are the primary custodians of Nikah records for their Masjid. In addition to the general standards above, mosque administrators must:

• Verify the identity of both parties to a Nikah before entering their details — do not rely solely on verbal confirmation
• Ensure the officiating Imam is correctly identified and that they were genuinely present at the ceremony
• Notify SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) promptly if there is a change in the mosque's designated administrator(s)
• Ensure that only authorised mosque staff have access to the system — do not create shared or generic login accounts
• Not use the mosque's account to register Nikahs performed at another mosque, unless explicitly authorised in writing by SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established)
• Keep the mosque's profile information (name, address, Ulama body affiliation) accurate and up to date
• Respond promptly and honestly to any verification or enquiry from SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) regarding a record entered by your mosque

G. Conduct Specific to Imams / Officiating Aalims

The Imam's confirmation of a Nikah record is a significant act that converts a Draft or Pending record into a permanent Active record. Imams must:

• Only confirm records for Nikahs that they personally officiated — do not confirm on behalf of another Imam
• Review all details of a record carefully before confirming — once confirmed, the record becomes permanent
• Decline to confirm any record that contains inaccuracies, and notify the mosque administrator and SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) of the discrepancy
• Not allow any other person to use their credentials to confirm records on their behalf
• Notify SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) promptly if they become aware that a Nikah they officiated has subsequently been found to be invalid

H. Conduct Specific to SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) Administrators

SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) administrators have the highest level of system access. This access is granted in trust for the benefit of the entire community. SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) administrators must:

• Exercise their elevated access only for legitimate system administration purposes — never for personal interest or at the request of third parties without proper authorisation
• Treat all records and personal information with the strictest confidentiality — their broader access does not entitle them to share information with others
• Not modify, correct, or delete any marriage record without proper authorisation and without leaving an accurate audit trail
• Not create or activate user accounts for individuals who have not been properly verified and authorised
• Protect their administrator credentials with particular care — multi-factor authentication where available
• Report any attempt by a third party (including family members, community leaders, or government officials) to improperly access or alter records
• Act impartially and without discrimination in all decisions relating to system access and record management

I. Conflicts of Interest

Users must avoid situations where personal interests conflict — or could appear to conflict — with their responsibilities on the system. Specifically:

• A user should not administer, create, or confirm a Nikah record for themselves, a close family member, or any person where they have a personal interest in the outcome
• Where a conflict of interest exists or may appear to exist, the user must disclose it to their supervisor or to SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) and recuse themselves from handling that record
• Users must not accept gifts, benefits, or favours in connection with their access to or use of the system

J. Prohibited Conduct

The following conduct is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate suspension of access pending investigation:

• Entering any false, fabricated, or misleading information into the system
• Creating a Nikah record for a ceremony that did not take place
• Confirming a record as Imam without having officiated the ceremony
• Altering or deleting records without proper authorisation
• Sharing login credentials with any other person
• Accessing records beyond the scope of your authorised role
• Disclosing personal information from the system to unauthorised persons
• Attempting to access, modify, or disrupt the system's security controls
• Using the system to facilitate any unlawful act, including bigamy, fraud, or identity theft
• Making any false statement in connection with a PAIA request or data subject rights request

K. Reporting a Concern or Violation

SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the register. If you become aware of any actual or suspected violation of this Code, you have an obligation to report it. You may report concerns:

SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) will acknowledge all reports within 5 business days and keep the reporting person informed of the outcome to the extent permitted by confidentiality obligations. No person will be penalised for making a good-faith report of a suspected violation.

L. Consequences of Non-Compliance

Where a breach of this Code is established following investigation, SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) may take one or more of the following actions depending on the severity of the breach:

Where the user is an Imam or community leader, SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) may also notify the relevant Ulama body of the outcome of any investigation.

M. Amendments

SAMNET (South African Muslim Network) and/or the National Nikah Register NPO (when established) reserves the right to amend this Code of Conduct at any time. The current version will always be available at NikahRegister.co.za/public/code-of-conduct.php. Registered users will be notified of material changes. Continued use of the system after an amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Code.

Version 1.0 — issued April 2026. Issued by SAMNET (South African Muslim Network), operator of NikahRegister.co.za.