of marriage, those which are based on the Islamic Shari’a and Yemeni traditions, said Minister of Tourism, Nabil al-Faqih. 
Al-Faqih told al-Syasiah newspaper last week that the Yemeni government does not approve of any other types of marriages, and temporary marriages are illegal under Yemeni law.
This statement came as a response to one released by an Emirati lawyer discussing the spread of so-called Thursday Marriages in Yemen. According to the lawyer, young men from UAE travel to Yemen in the hope of finding a bride from a tribe that allows these short-term marriages. The Emirati lawyer, Sarah Huzaim, claimed that these Thursday Marriages lasted only two days, ending in divorce on Saturday.
Huzaim’s statement aroused strong reactions from top officials in Yemen, who said that not only was it a lie, but they considered her statement an attack against Yemen’s reputation, reported al-Watan newspaper of Saudi Arabia.  
Al-Faqih called Yemeni society one of the world’s strongest as it is deeply rooted in its culture and traditions. The conservative nature of Yemeni society forbids actions that go against the Islamic Sharia’a, and no temporary marriages exist in Yemen. Al-Faqih denied that “sex tourism” existed in the country as Yemeni society is very conservative by nature, and abides by its traditions based on Islamic law. 
Yemeni law forbids the marriage of Yemeni women with foreign citizens until approval has been received from both Yemen’s Ministry of Interior and the Embassy in the potential husband’s country. The Ministry of Tourism has rejected repeated requests from large investment companies to build open nightclubs and resorts on Yemeni shores out of respect for the privacy of families living near the beaches, concluded al-Faqih.Minister of Guidance and Endowment, Judge Hamoud al-Hitar denounced what has been published about Thursday Marriages. He called the lawyer from the Emirates irresponsible for publishing lies, arguing that she should have verified her information before insulting Yemen as a whole.
The claims made by media reports are nonsense, and the so-called cases of Thursday Marriages were in Yemeni governorates where there are no tourists, said al-Faqih to al-Watan. In Islamic Law, temporary marriages are illegal. The correct form of contractive matrimony is that which is signed with the intention of lasting forever. Anything outside of this is not in accordance with Islamic Law. 
A number of Yemeni lawyers are preparing to file a lawsuit against the Emirate lawyer responsible for this statement, which they consider defamation and a distortion of both the image and reputation of Yemen.