Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, an influential Islamic scholar, has made an intervention in the discourse on domestic abuse, advocating for immediate, cost-free divorce rights for Muslim women trapped in violent or cruel marriages.
Gumi condemned the judicial double standard where men can easily dissolve a marriage while women seeking freedom from cruelty are burdened financially.
During his weekly address, Gumi directly criticized the judicial expectation that women must pay compensation ‘khul’ to secure divorce from abusive husbands.
Specifically, when a woman seeks divorce (known as khul’), she is typically required to return the Mahr (dowry) or offer compensation to the husband. Gumi argues that this requirement must be waived when the husband is proven to be abusive, cruel, or neglectful.
That is injustice, and Islam stands firmly against oppression…And if they separate, Allah will render them both free from want out of His ampleness
He framed his argument using foundational Islamic texts, citing the Maliki jurisprudence text Al-Mukhtasar Al-Khalil and several verses from the Holy Qur’an, emphasizing that Islam prohibits oppression, and also called for justice and mercy in marriage. Gumi urged Islamic judges to exercise courage and fairness to protect women who are being trapped in misery.
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