Almost two years ago forced marriages were banned in Saudi Arabia under the discovery that it was in fact un-Islamic. Who knew eh? Some argued at the time that this wasn’t the reason and instead it was an attempt to curtail the 50% divorce rate.
I think it was neither.
Simply because while forced marriages are banned, forced divorces seem to be the thing now.
Mansour Al Timani who lied about his (tribal) origins had his marriage annulled by his father-in-law who is looking for new suitors for his daughter Fatima even though Fatima, who refused to adhere to the court ruling and return to her father’s home, is currently in jail; separated from her husband and their two children.
The story has evolved into a petition by women rights activists in the kingdom to pressure the king into intervening.
And here’s yet another similar case.
Hopefully, half a century from now, the mufti of Saudi Arabia will make the shocking discovery that forced divorces are also un-Islamic.
Who knew?
Makes me angry.
Bismillah
Say ‘No’ To Forced Divorce – ‘Yes’ to Reforms
Petition to THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES, KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL AZIZ
QUICK FACTS AND INFORMATION REFERENCES
SOURCE: http://muslimahwritersalliance.com/mwa-community/quick_stats.html
Press Release – Feb. 5, 2007
Muslimah Writers Alliance Joins in Petitioning Saudi Arabia for Reversal of Forced Divorce
http://muslimahwritersalliance.com/mwa-community/support_elimination_of_gender_bias_ksa.htm
Press Release – Feb. 14, 2007
Muslimah Writers Alliance Petitions King Abdullah to Stop Forced Divorces
http://prweb.com/releases/2007/2/prweb505146.htm
Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/no24orce/petition.html
Where to Sign Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/no24orce/petition-sign.html
Chronological Log of Media Coverage
http://muslimahwritersalliance.com/mwa-community/al-timani_case_chronology.htm
Result of September 2006 MWA Grand Mosque Equal Access for Women Petition
http://www.muslimahwritersalliance.com/MWA-GMEA4W/Press-Release2.html