Divorcing a muslim in the US

Submitted by Isis (Australia), May 8, 2008 at 22:51

"Julie Macfarlane, a law professor at the University of Windsor, Ontario, who has spent two years on a research project titled "Understanding Islamic Divorce in North America," said she was surprised that Aleem had tried to force the notion of talaq on a U.S. court.

Many North American Muslim religious leaders, known as imams, now treat a woman's request for a divorce as a right, Macfarlane said, an evolution from the common scenario under which she may split up with her husband only if he consents."

When reading the article it is clear that the Islamic law was not upheld in the US court and I assume that the woman received an appropriate entitlement. I appreciate that you are warning others who may be considering marrying under Islamic law in the middle-east but your comments seem slightly hysterical & only when the context of the full article is read that I could see that what you had implied in your post was not the case.

You wrote:

"Maryland: Judge denies Islamic Divorce

Today's news on a Muslim man in Maryland, who found out his wife of 20 years filed for divorce. A World Bank economist from Pakistan.

With his Oxford education, and wonderful lifestyle in the U.S. he immediately ran to his embassy to pronounce "talaq" on her. The male Muslim's version of I divorce you 3 times with no grounds for divorce required. Trust me, this takes max 10 min to do in a court.

He stated she only deserved the $2,500 stated in their Islamic Marriage contract. He is now worth 2 million U.S. dollars.

So, after 20 years in the U.S. as a married couple with children, she gets a whopping $2,500."

...... in fact this was not the case - the talaq ruling was not upheld by the US court.

If women go into Muslim marriages without the proper research on religion, culture and sociology why blame the husband???? I assume you all go into these relationships with your eyes open and your wits about you???? As far as I can see, the western women involved ion these relationships need to take some of the blame without the unfair condemnation that is going on in this forum.

I've said my bit and I'm now going to Egypt for a month - ma salaam!

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