They said under the new regulations, marriage contracts will be made at specialized courts to ensure that prospective brides are not too young and will not be harmed by marriage. They will also decide whether the age of the would-be groom is suitable.
The sources said the ministry is working on the new rules and regulations with the Ministries of Interior, Health and Social Affairs.
The age of consent was a controversial issue during recent discussions held at the Shoura Council. While many members called for making it 18, others believed that 15 was enough. Underage marriages are not uncommon in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, 67 percent of over 1,000 people surveyed by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) criticized underage marriages and called for the age of consent to be 18.
They said though underage marriages were permissible under Islamic teachings, the possible harm to the wives might be totally against Islam.
Supporters, however, do not agree, citing the marriage of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to Sayidah Aisha when she was only 11 years old.
They said though Islamic teachings have given guardians the right of marrying off their daughters even if they are very young, they should not abuse it.
Many people believe that setting an age of consent is very important in the modern age to ensure happy married lives.
Though the gap is still wide between opponents and supporters of underage marriages, the majority of Saudi citizens support fixing an age of consent under which girls could not be forced to marry.
