Quran serves as the basis for Islamic doctrine and is considered the word of God, whereas Muhammad is merely a conduit through whom God speaks with humans. A significant part of the Quran could be described as the “family law,” and it contains a view on such types of family relations as divorce. In contrast with Christianity, Islam permits divorce, as marriage is not considered sacral but rather an earthbound contract between two individuals that can be canceled (Lamrabet, 2018). The following essay analyzes the concept of divorce from the perspective of the Islamic religion.
According to the Quran, divorce is permitted but not welcome: both sides should attempt to reconcile. It is clear from the text that the fact of ongoing marriage dissolution should not be exploited as an excuse for a disrespectful attitude. Noteworthy, people who claim a divorce are given two opportunities to re-establish their relationship, and on the third time, divorce becomes irrevocable. The involvement of third-party in the process of divorce is mentioned: people must pronounce the divorce in the presence of witnesses. These third parties, or mediators, are meant to focus on the possibility of persuading divorcing people to restore their relationship (The Quran, 2004). These features of divorce elaborated in the Quran demonstrate a loyal attitude to spouses willing to get separated, but at the same time, divorce is clearly not welcome and is considered to be a last resort.
The text of the Quran discusses three types of divorce: by mutual consent, at the husband’s request, and at the wife’s request; each type entails its nuances. Mutual consent is perceived the most easily in Quran. Besides, divorce is viewed negatively; it involves reciprocal respect of partners and their ability to make allowances, even in this case. When the husband initiates the divorce, even in case of adultery, he is prohibited from dismissing his wife from matrimonial residence. Although this rule is directly stated, it is often violated in Muslim societies, and divorced women usually stay without shelter (Lamrabet, 2018). These data emphasize the importance of both sides individually in initiating the divorce, which provides the basis for preventing abuses triggered by divorces.
The third part of the divorce is that requested by the wife. A wife can claim to terminate her marriage as well if she no longer desires to live with her husband. In this case, it is mentioned that she must provide manageable compensation to her husband (The Quran, 2004). It is not directly stated, though, what kind of compensation it implies, material or moral. Several interpretations of Islamic philosophy consider this as a basis for demanding a wife return gifts given during marriage. Although this was only required when a wife had no specific complaints about her husband: she was neither physically nor emotionally accused. This data indicates that even though Quran does not openly state or imply a dismissive attitude toward women in the context of divorce, it creates an environment for unfavorable interpretation, causing abuses in the Islamic world.
The idea delivered by the Quran is that if it is possible to save a marriage, people should keep it; in case a marriage is broken, divorce is permitted. In general, Quran entails guidelines aimed at improving the lives of couples undergoing divorces: within and outside of their marriage. Certain instances described in Quran can be interpreted differently, but the overall message remains clear: both the course of the union and its termination is meant to serve happiness and peace in the souls of people.
References
Lamrabet, A. (2018). The Principles of Divorce in the Qur’ān. In Women and Men in the Qur’ān (pp. 85-104). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
The Qur’an (M.A.S Abdel Haleem, Trans.). (2004). Oxford University Press.