HYDERABAD: Women muftis in the city have demanded stringent action against men who pronounce ‘instant talaq'. The punishment should be decided by the government after consulting Islamic scholars, including women muftis, they noted. At a marathon meeting by Jamiat-ul-Mominat, which trains women muftis in the Old City, they did not favour the Supreme Court interference in the Shariat (Islamic law). “We seek stringent punishment against men who divorce their wives without valid reason. The government and the judiciary should consult the Muslim intellectuals and understand the talaaq issue before taking the next step,” said Dr Mufti Nazima Aziz.
The meeting dealt with various issues relating to Muslim women. Professor Ashraf Rafi, a research scholar and former head of the department of Urdu in Osmania University, said that ‘talaq’ is the most abhorred thing in Islam. “Only in rare cases does the divorce take place. Generally, domestic issues are solved through a dialogue between family members,” she said. Ms Rafi said that arbitration should be first done in any civil matter before approaching the court. Secondly, there should be awareness on the subject within the community. The Jamait-ul-Mominat will be bringing out a booklet on rights and duties of husband and wife, talaq and ‘khula,’ said Mufti Mohd Hasanuddin, head mufti, Jamiatul Mominat.
