Sunaina Malik
Women community of India welcomes the future’ strategy of our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in our country which he has recently discussed during a rally in Bhopal. Muslim women no longer want to live a life of puppet at the hands of males. We also want to breathe in free air of equality where patriarchal society will no longer exploit any woman in the name of multi marriage system, triple talaq, property inheritance, maintenance after divorce, halala and adoption. To your revelation, UCC is not against Quranic directions regarding various civil matters. Even Quran talks about safeguard of rights of both male and female, even Quarn talks about equality and justice amid male and female, even Quran talks about the importance of education for both male and female then question arises why practices like multi marriage, triple talaq, halala, no maintenance after divorce, male dominance, female illiteracy are prevalent in Muslim community? The answer to this highly discussed question is male ego and male dominance. Muslim males have moulded Quranic directions for their own enjoyment and for fulfilling their own illicit means and have been using females as articles of use and throw since ages and depriving them from their fundamental rights.
Quran does not at a single place permit verbal divorce and polygamy. Following are the direct references from Quran which will surely clear every one’s doubt about the issues of marriage and divorce. Ayat (4.34 – 4.128) says God discourages divorce and encourages the continuation of marriage striving to preserve marriage is the duty of both husband and wife even in extreme case of misbehaviour. The discourage of divorce is understood in the light of (2.226-227) where a four month cooling off period is issued before considering the decision of separation. Quran in Ayat (4.35) says if a couple fears separation you shall appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family. If they decide to reconcile God will help them get together. God is omniscient cognizant. Quran (2.226-227) says those who intend to divorce their wives shall wait for four months (cooling off). If they change their mind and reconcile them God is Forgiver, Merciful. If they go through divorce then God is hearer knower. Quran (65.2) says once the interim is fulfilled you may reconcile with them equitably. You shall have equitable witnesses for divorce before God. This is to enlighten those who believe in God and last day. Anyone who reverences God? He will create an exit from Him. Quran (2.231) says if you divorce the women once they fulfill their interim (three menstruation) you shall allow them to live in the same house amicably or let them leave amicably. Do not force them to stay against their will (as a revenge) anyone who does this, wrongs his own soul. Quran (65.6) says you shall allow them to live in the same home in which they lived with you and do not make life so miserable for them that they leave on their own. If they are pregnant you shall spend on them until they give birth. If they nurse the infant you shall pay them for this service. You shall maintain the amicable relations among you. From the above references from Quran, it becomes clearly evident that there is no mention of verbal Talaq in Quran even at one single place. It was an evil practice prevalent among Arabs. This fact can further be proved by an incident. Once holy Prophet was informed that a person had pronounced three divorces on his wife in one sitting. He stood up in anger and said ‘Are the people playing with book of Allah although I am present among you? Seeing the Prophet’s extreme anger on the occasion a person asked ‘Should I not go and kill them’.
Quran further clears our facts regarding Muslim woman’s right to divorce because there is a general notion that Muslim women do not have right to divorce her husband. But Quran in Ayat(2.228) says ‘And women shall have rights similar to the rights of men against them in kindness according to what is equitable’.
To your revelation Quran never permits polygamy because Sura (4.3) of Quran says ‘You may marry two or three or four women whom you choose, but if you apprehend that you might not be able to do justice to them then marry only one wife. Quran in another place says Sura (4.129) you will not able to treat all women equally even if you wish so’. Thus Quran prohibits polygamy but some people corrupted the laws of Quran for their own enjoyment and have been exploiting women from ages together.
It is only Uniform Civil Code which will put an end to all the barbaric customs which have victimitised females. It is only UCC which can stop males from malpractice of polygamy which is against the laws of Quran. It is only UCC which can label second marriage solemnized out of the consent of first wife as null and void. It is only UCC which can put a bar on barbaric practice of halala. It is only UCC which will guarantee maintenance for Muslim divorcee. It is only UCC which will guarantee equal property rights to women. It is only UCC which will perish unidirectional and forced divorce. and it is only UCC which will entitle every Muslim woman to live a harassment free life.
In the conclusion, I want to appeal to every Muslim woman that it is the ripe time to raise voice against the barbaric injustice and let us join hands for the implementation of Uniform Civil Code because only UCC can liberate us from the clutches of old barbaric customs.
(The writer is from Rajouri and reached at email
maliksunaina786@gmail.com).