India bans instant divorce
Rights — di Elisabetta Scuri
The practice of triple talaq, which allows Muslim men to divorce their wives by repeating the word “talaq” three times, is now illegal in India.
India bans instant divorce
The practice of triple talaq, which allows Muslim men to divorce their wives by repeating the word “talaq” three times, is now illegal in India.
It may seem absurd, yet in India, until 30 July, husbands could divorce their wives simply by repeating the word talaq — which means precisely "divorce" — three times. All it took was an email, a letter, even a message on WhatsApp or Skype. This Muslim practice, known as triple talaq or instant divorce, has been declared illegal by the Indian Parliament, which approved a bill dating back to 2017 — the year in which the Supreme Court had declared the custom unconstitutional — by 99 votes to 84. Anyone who continues to use it may now be punished with up to three years' imprisonment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pride
"Finally, an archaic and medieval practice has been consigned to the dustbin of history," tweeted the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi. "It is a victory for gender justice and will further promote equality in society." The Bharatiya Janata Party, currently in government, was in favour of passing the bill, while the Indian National Congress, the main opposition party, was not. According to some members, the new law would be discriminatory towards Muslims.
An archaic and medieval practice has finally been confined to the dustbin of history!
Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and corrects a historical wrong done to Muslim women. This is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society.
India rejoices today!
Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and corrects a historical wrong done to Muslim women. This is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society.
India rejoices today!
There is no reference to triple talaq in the Quran
Triple talaq is, however, banned in many Islamic countries, including Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is not mentioned in the Quran, the sacred text of Islam, which, on the contrary, holds that divorce must be finalised over the course of three months, so as to give the couple time to reflect and potentially reconcile.
Read also: India, i rapporti sessuali con le spose bambine diventano reato di stupro
A victory for women
For several decades, Muslim women in India had been fighting to put a stop to instant divorces, explaining that they lived in constant fear of being forced to leave their homes in a matter of seconds. "When it happened to me, I was in shock. It's horrible to be abandoned without any warning," young Afreen Rehman told the BBC. "I didn't know what to do. But I knew I would have to carry that cross until I died, because in India a woman is always held responsible for the breakdown of a marriage." Now, at last, the spell is broken, and no dark, looming curse will hang over the lives of brides any longer.