The triple talaq issue has been in vogue for quiet sometime as a major issue for Muslim women. The women were at the mercy of the men in their community and just spelling out triple talaq would mean divorce of the married couple. The misuse of this provision had gone to such an extent that men started announcing triple talaq over phone, skype and whatsapp, and claimed to have divorced their spouses.
This has turned out to be major problem and hapless women were left in lurch after their men walking out of their lives. But it was five women who dared to take on this and fight it out for the cause of Muslim women in the country. They challenged this system in Supreme Court and today have got a remarkably favourable reply from the highest court of the country. Indeed an achievement that every women, especially Muslim women, should be proud off.
The five women who petitioned are Shayara Bano, Ishrat Jahan, Gulshan Parween, Aafreen Rehman and Atiya Sabri. The Zakia Soman-led Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) is the sixth petitioner in the case.
Shayara Bano, 35 years, married for 15 years with two children. She was given triple talaq in 2015 by her husband. She approached the Supreme Court in 2016, challenging the validity of arbitrary practices against women followed by Muslims. The government filed an affidavit against the triple talaq based on her petition.
Aafreen Rehman, 26 years, was married in 2014. In May, last year, she received a letter via speed post announcing a divorce. She filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking the court’s intervention in the matter.
Gulshan Parween, 31 years, mother of a child, was married in April 2013. She received talaqnama from her husband on a Rs 10 stamp paper in 2015. She refused to accept it, following which her husband approached Rampur family court asking for dissolution of marriage based on the talaqnama.
Ishrat Jahan, 31 years, married for 15 years and mother of four children, was divorced by her husband over phone from Dubai in April, 2015. She did not accept the talaq by phone, that’s why she approached the court.
Atiya Sabri, 31 years, mother of two children. After into marriage for three years, she was given triple talaq given by her husband on a piece of paper. She approached the Supreme Court in January this year challenging triple talaq given by her husband.
Apart from these women, Zakia Soman of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) also file petition. A petition, titled ‘Muslim Women’s Quest for Equality’, was filed by the BMMA. The BMMA argued that Allah says men and women are equal.
Zakia Soman of the BMMA said, “We have reproduced verses from the Quran about talaq, negotiations and how it should happen over a minimum period of 90 days. The second argument is about gender justice. There is no ambiguity in the Constitution of India about all citizens having equal rights.”
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