In India, Talaq-ul-Bidat (also known as “triple talaq”) allows a Muslim married man to instantaneously divorce his wife by uttering “I divorce you. I divorce you. I divorce you.” Female activists like Shayara Bano are fighting against this tradition and are taking their cases to India’s Supreme Court. “Men have all the power to play with women’s lives, even though the Quran doesn’t endorse it,” says Ms. Bano.
India’s central government recently filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing triple talaq — a practice it has, until now, safeguarded. This is seen as a significant step for women’s rights. Per the court’s statement: “It is noteworthy that even theocratic states have undergone reforms in this area of the law and therefore in a secular republic like India, there is no reason to deny women the right available under the constitution.”
According to PRI, “At least 22 Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have stopped recognizing triple talaq. It continues in India, where Hinduism dominates, and Muslim family law exists to safeguard the minority community’s religious freedom.”
