Policy Brief 4: Equal Divorce Rights in Muslim Family Laws

‘Policy Brief 4: Equal Divorce Rights in Muslim Family Laws’ outlines how divorce provisions in many Muslim family laws are unfair and can be damaging to women and their children—but we can reform those laws.

In many Muslim contexts, men and women do not have equal access to divorce. A husband can often divorce simply by pronouncing it, without consent from or discussion with his wife, or even her knowledge. While a wife may be able to initiate several forms of divorce, it is far more difficult for her to be released from the marriage. Because men have easier access to divorce, they hold considerable power over their wives.

States must act to ensure that men and women have equal access and rights in the dissolution of marriage in terms of the types of divorce available and the ease in obtaining divorce. The Qur’an and the example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) offer an approach to divorce that rests on principles such as graciousness (fadl), justice, fairness, and equity (‘adl, qist, insaf), kindness (ihsan), and that which is commonly known to be right (ma‘ruf). This approach should be adopted into divorce laws and processes today.

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تلخص ورقة سياسات مساواة رقم 4، حقيقة

 أن إجراءات الطلاق في العديد من قوانين الأسرة المسلمة، لا تساوي بين الرجال والنساء، وقد تضر بمصلحة النساء والأطفال في العائلة، لكن هذه القوانين يمكن تغييرها

في العديد من السياقات المسلمة، لا يملك الرجال والنساء حقوقًا متساوية في الطلاق، فالرجل يمكنه إيقاع الطلاق ببساطة بمجرد النطق بالكلمة؛ بدون إذن الزوجة أو علمها. بينما لتقوم الزوجة بالطلاق، عليها أن تقوم بخطوات شاقة لتسير في أي من المسارات المتاحة لها. ولهذا، يصبح للرجال سلطة كبيرة على زوجاتهم

يجب على الدول ضمان حقوق طلاق متساوية للرجال والنساء، من ناحية إتاحة ذات الخيارات وسهولة تنفيذها. يقدم لنا القرآن الكريم وسنة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، مدخلًا للطلاق يرتكز على مبادئ، مثل الفضل والعدل والقسط والإنصاف والإحسان والمعروف. ويجب أن تتبنى قوانين وقضايا الطلاق المعاصرة تلك المبادئ

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In This Series:

• Policy Brief 1: Why Muslim Family Law Reform? Why Now?
• Policy Brief 2: Ending Child Marriage in Muslim Family Laws
• Policy Brief 3: Ending Polygamy in Muslim Marriages
• Policy Brief 4: Equal Divorce Rights in Muslim Family Laws
• Policy Brief 5: Fair and Just Financial Rights Upon Divorce
• Policy Brief 6: ​​Upholding the Best Interests of the Child in Custody and Guardianship
• Policy Brief 7: Marriage as a Partnership of Equals
• Policy Brief 8: Ending Violence Against Women in Muslim Families
• Policy Brief 9: Supporting Just and Harmonious Marriages Through Marriage Contracts