Triple Talaq and Indian Muslims

Islam appears a backward religion though at one point when it made its appearance it was considered a progressive force. However what is progressive in the 6th century may not be so in the 21st century. This is seen from the laws regarding divorce and marriage, where women are at the receiving end.

One of the saddest sticking points in the world today is the status of Muslim women. How sad that they are subjected to archaic laws and nothing can be done about it. Recently the Muslim Law Board in India has sanctified triple Talaq i.e. divorce by uttering the word Talaq 3 times. The fact is that in India 92% of the Muslim women want triple Talaq to be abolished, but the Muslim law board dominated by men who live in the 6th century has not accepted the plea to abolish triple Talaq. In a ruling on 2 September, the Law board has upheld the validity of triple Talaq to the dismay of millions of Muslim women. It was, however, an accepted decision keeping in mind the mindset of the Muslim men steeped in obscurantism.

This is one of the saddest aspects of Islam and I wonder how women in Islam can live with such laws floating around including the one of having 4 wives. My lady clerk in my office who operates my data center is a Muslim and she has expressed her opinion that Islam must change and be more gender sensitive. How can there be a set of laws favoring men at the expense of women she asks. The famous writer Taslima Sharif has also voiced her opposition to these gender discrimination laws and called for the Koran to be revised though that is an extreme step. Her bravado had a negative result and Muslim clerics passed a Fatwa against her and asking that she be beheaded. She had to escape from Bangladesh and now resides in Indi

Unfortunately, the men who appear to be living in the 6th century do not agree and that is one reason that illiteracy is extremely high among Muslim women and many just live their life as a child- bearing machine. Most Muslim women are denied education and school life and also their rights. It’s about time the Muslim law board was told or maybe educated on the trends in the world today wherein except for a handful of countries triple Talaq is not recognized. It must be mentioned that even in Turkey this is not accepted, which at one time was the centre of the Ottoman empire.