A woman may request for Khula’ if her husband refuses to divorce her

Question:

What are the procedures that need to be followed if the husband refuses to give the wife Talaaq. How does the wife go about giving Talaaq to the husband?

Answer:

At the outset, we wish to point out that Talaaq is abhorred in the Shar’iah. Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam) has mentioned that it is the worst of permissible things to do. (Abu Dawood, Hadith #: 2180)

عن ابن عمر عن النبى -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال: أبغض الحلال إلى الله تعالى الطلاق. (سنن أبي داود، الحديث).

In principle, the right of issuing a divorce is reserved solely for the husband. However, if all avenues of reconciliation have failed and the husband refuses to give the wife Talaaq, she may request for Khula’. Khula is where the wife offers her Mahr (dowry) or a sum of money to the husband and in lieu of that sum; the husband agrees to divorce her.

إذا تشاق الزوجان وخافا أن لا يقيما حدود الله فلا بأس بأن تفتدي نفسها منه بمال يخلعها به فإذا فعلا ذلك وقعت تطليقة بائنة ولزمها المال كذا في الهداية . (الفتاوى الهندية، ص: 488، ج: 1، دار إحياء التراث العربي).

The Khula will only be effective if the husband agrees to it.

Alternatively, the wife could make an application to an Ulama body or Qadhi (Muslim Judge- in an Islamic State) for the annulment of the Nikah. The Ulama body will assess the case and annul the marriage if need be. Often the Ulama find that the grounds are not valid.

And Allah knows best.

Suhail Tarmahomed
Fatwa Dept.

Checked and Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Fatwa Dept.