Debating Nikah-e-Halala, a direct consequence of Instant Triple Talaq, an obscene social practice al

A Story by New Age Islam

Halala (Urdu: حلالہ) is a disputed Islamic marriage strategy practiced primarily by certain sects of Sunni Muslims, which involves a female divorcee marrying someone else, consummating the marriage.

Nikah-e-Halala is the most obscene social practice prevalent among Indian Muslims, and now only among Indian Muslims, that Muslims are happy to practice but do not want it talked about. However, there can be no change or reform in the condition of women until the issue is brought out, highlighted and debated. I, therefore, present here a report By Manjari Mishra in The Crest, The Times of India, New Delhi. But first let us see what the term Halala implies and how it is seen by the world at large.

The following are some excerpts from the Wikipedia page on Nikah Halala:

Halala (Urdu: حلالہ) is a disputed Islamic marriage strategy practiced primarily by certain sects of Sunni Muslims, which involves a female divorcee marrying someone else, consummating the marriage and then getting a divorce inorder to make it allowable to remarry her previous husband. …

There is no theological basis for Nikah Halala in Islam. According to the Qur'an (2:229, 2:230):

"Divorce is twice. Then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allah . But if you fear that they will not keep [within] the limits of Allah , then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself. These are the limits of Allah , so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah - it is those who are the wrongdoers."

"And if he has divorced her [for the third time], then she is not lawful to him afterward until [after] she marries a husband other than him. And if the latter husband divorces her [or dies], there is no blame upon the woman and her former husband for returning to each other if they think that they can keep [within] the limits of Allah . These are the limits of Allah , which He makes clear to a people who know."

The above is often interpreted as following: if a husband divorces his wife by pronouncing talaq, he can revoke the divorce within the iddah, that is, the period of separation that precedes divorce. If the divorce is completed, the couple can remarry. The couple may divorce and remarry twice. However, if they divorce a third time, they can neither unite within the iddah period nor marry again until the ex-wife marries another man, to ensure that the divorce is taken seriousl.

Consequently, the above interpretation is used as a strategy to remarry, or Halala, and often justified by some as true belief.

However, even according to the archaic groups who follow this belief, this only applies where the man has declared divorce on three separate occasions (not 3 times in a row). A Halala cannot be planned in advance, as a Nikah between her and the second husband with an understanding of a divorce afterwards will not be valid. If she does so, it will be an illegitimate relationship with the second husband and with the first husband also with whom she comes to live after a pre-planned Halala. Mohammed has cursed both such men who perform Halala and for whom Halala is performed.

This belief has been the basis of financial and sexual exploitation of Muslim women, and has received much critical news coverage