The Telegraph understands that Ms Akhter is now considering taking her case to the Supreme Court.

The case highlights the injustice felt by many women who may find themselves believing they are married only to find that they are not and never were, at the point of separation.

It also makes clear that in England and Wales, a Nikah ceremony alone cannot produce a valid lawful marriage - or at least a void marriage (one that doesn’t comply with rules such as the place of marriage being a registered venue).

A void marriage at least entitles parties to claim financial remedies after separation. If the marriage never existed, it is legally seen as a ‘non-marriage’, meaning that parties have no legal right to claim financial remedies following separation.

The judgment also found that the state does not have a human rights obligation to recognise religious marriage.

Charles Hale QC of 4PB, who represented Ms Akhter, said: “Thousands of women, usually Muslim women believe that they lawfully marry in this country each year by undertaking a religious ceremony only.

“Many of them (and its usually Muslim women) do not know in fact that, no matter how many people attend, no matter how public an expression of the marital contract, that they are not in fact lawfully married in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

This means that many have absolutely no rights at the end of what they believe to be their “marriage”.

“No rights to assets in the husband’s sole name, and no rights to maintenance, even if, as with Ms Akhter, they were married for 18 years.