Abused Muslim Women Should Get Divorce Without Paying Compensation – Sheikh Gumi
Renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged Islamic judges and clerics to grant abused women the right to divorce without being forced to pay compensation.
Speaking during his weekly Tafsir at Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, Gumi argued that Islam does not permit oppression in marriage and that women should not face tougher hurdles than men when seeking separation.
He noted that while a man can end a marriage simply by pronouncing divorce, many women suffering physical or emotional abuse are denied freedom unless they pay for khul, which he described as injustice.
“When a husband insults, humiliates, or beats his wife, he forfeits the right to demand compensation,” Gumi said. “No woman should be trapped in misery.”
Citing Quranic verses and Maliki jurisprudence, he reminded Qadis (Islamic judges) that they have a duty to dissolve such marriages immediately and protect victims of domestic violence.
Gumi stressed that marriages in Islam must be rooted in compassion and fairness, and where these are lost, either spouse has the right to walk away with dignity.
