Thursday, August 23, 2018

After 14 centuries, Indian law finally bans the triple talaq

It may be merely a footnote in Canadian newspapers, but India's banning of the practice of "triple talaq" is a big deal for millions of women in the world's second largest Muslim population.
Triple talaq is the widely mentioned Muslim divorce procedure, whereby a husband can instantly divorce a wife by stating three times - either orally, in writing, or even in an email or text - the word "talaq" ("I divorce you"). It's one if those throwaway, out-of-context snippets that non-Muslims use to berate Muslims about how ridiculous their religion is (and it is, don't get me wrong).
However, the practice has already been made illegal in most Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Morocco. And where it does still apply it is usually softened by a three month waiting period. But, up until this week, it was the law in India. The Supreme Court of India finally banned the practice after a sustained grassroots campaign by Muslim women led by the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan organization, which has spent years campaigning and tirelessly shining a light on the human misery caused by this misogynistic throwback practice.
As Sheena Khan points out in today's Globe and Mail, there is an example in the Koran itself of a strong woman called Khawla bint Tha'labah in the 7th Century who rebelled against a very similar ancient practice called "dhihar". She argued against Mohammed himself, and succeeded in persuading The Prophet that the practice was wrong and should be done away with.
Some 14 centuries later, Indian Muslim clerics have finally been corrected by a group of modern-day bint Tha'labahs. Next up: polygamy.

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