A Muslim woman openly announced to take “khula” (divorce) from her husband after she failed to get it done through Islamic seminaries. In Islam, while a man can take “talaq”, a woman can separate from her husband through “khula”. Shajada Khatoon, wedded to Juber Ali, signed a letter for “khula” at a press conference in Lucknow.
“I tried to take ‘khula’ from my husband. I had approached the Islamic seminaries, Nadwa and Firangi Mahal, but did not get any relief,” she said. “That is why, I am signing the ‘khula’ in the public and sending him (the husband) the notice. I am free from him now,” she said.
Muslim women league general secretary, Naish Hasan, who assisted Shajada, said the woman was depressed with her husband as he was torturing her and had been living separately for the past 18 months.
However, all India Muslim Personal Law Board executive member, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said, the process followed by the woman was not correct. “Khula is not done in a single letter. For khula, the woman has to serve a notice on her husband and if he does not respond to three of such notices, it is deemed implemented,” he said.
But then, All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board President, Shaista Ambar backed Shajada saying what she did was “valid”.
