Challenges and Negative Effects of Divorce among Muslim Women in Northern Nigeria

Authors

  • Rafatu Abdul Hamid FACULTY OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIONS UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA, NIGERIA
  • Imam Abdul Rahim Muhammad Sanusi FACULTY OF ARTS AND EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES, YOBE STATE UNIVERSITY DAMATURU

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v5i11.997

Abstract

The alarming explosion of divorce in our present times is a cause of great concern. In fact the divorce rate in Northern Nigeria is high and this is scandalous. The mention of the word (Talaq) divorce has now become so cheap that in some marriages, every argument futures this word, either the husband threatens with it or the wife demands it. Hence women are married and divorce at will for minor reasons. This paper is therefore an attempt to highlight some of the causes of rampant divorce and its negative impact on Muslim women in the northern part of Nigeria. Some Shari’ah court cases were also examined in other to find out whether the Judiciary is invulnerable to the problem of divorce among Muslim women in Northern Nigeria. The study reveals that the challenges and negative effects of divorce are usually much stronger on the woman and her off springs than the man. These ranges from psychological trauma, immoral behaviour, Economic hardship, denial of custody, etc.  Using descriptive and analytical methods, this paper interprets Islamic teachings as enshrined in the Qur’an and Sunnah with a view to proffering Islamic solutions on them. The paper recommends among other things, that parents and intending spouses should endeavour to find out the level of Islamic knowledge, habit, character of suitors/wives to be, prior to the marriage in order to prepare adequately for a successful association.

References

Abdul’Ati, Hammudah The Family Structure in Islam. Lagos: Islamic Publications Bureau, 1982.

Abimbola Adelakun “women sex and control” The Punch – www.punching.(on) home >opinion> accessed (10/1/14)

Al-Bukhari, Ibn Ismail Muhammad Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English) Vol. 6, Hadith No. 466,Dar-al-Arabia: n.d.

Al Asqalani ibn Hajar Al-Hafiz. Bulugh al-Maram, (attainment of the objective according to evidence of the ordinances). n.p Saudi Arabia, Dar-us-Salam Publications, 1996.

Ambali M.A The practice Muslim Law in Nigeria, Zaria, Tamaza Publishing company, 1998.

Communique issued at the end of The Women in Da’awah Two-Day Marriage Seminar Held from Saturday November 24 – Sunday 25, 2015 in Abuja

Halilu Mukhtar, “Prolifertion of Divorces” paper presented in the Federation of Muslim women in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Magazine 2006

Khan, Maulana Wahiduddin. Woman between Islam and Western Society. New Delhi, India, Goodword Books, 1995.

Kano State formulating legislation to halt divorces | News24 ... www.news24.com.ng/.../Kano-State-formulating-legislation-to-halt-divor accessed

th February, 2016

Mass wedding to promote Islamic Society in Nigeria, www.salon.com/2013/20/mass wedding 10/1/2014 accessed 11/1/2014

Muslim – Sahih Muslim, (English Translation) vol. 4, Hadith no 4420 Dar al Arabia n.d

Sada N.I et al. “Shar͞icah and the Rights of Muslim Women in Northern Nigeria”. A report prepared for special programme on women in the North, under the access to justice progamme, Department for International development (DFID), Abuja June 2004.

Downloads

Published

2016-11-19

Issue

Section

Article