Family court grants divorce to Muslim couple

Chennai, Jan 1 (UNI) A family court here has granted divorce to a Muslim couple by holding that divorce by mutual consent, Mubarraat, was available to that religion.

Granting the divorce, Principal Judge of the court P Devadass said ''from the Holy Koranic verse and the teachings and doings of Prophet Muhammed, views of Islamic scholars and judicial decisions, it was found that 14 centuries ago itself Islam put an end to a meaningless marriage, a marriage on mere paper or a mere fiction, by the mutual consent of the spouses.'' The court, before taking up the divorce plea of the couple, sought to consider whether the Islamic jurisprudence had an analogous provision to dissolve failed marriages by mutual consent of the spouses, as provided for in other legislations.

''The question is whether such a provision, available to Hindus, Christians, Parsis and persons married under the Special Marriage Act 1954, is also available to Muslims.'' He said ''Allah, the Almighty, hates talaq in any form. But, when the spouses are not able to carry out the various injunctions and limits prescribed by Allah, the Almighty, with respect to marital obligations, permits separations.

Tracing the first decree of divorce granted in Islam, the Judge also discussed judicial precedents and views of Islamic scholars, before granting divorce to the couple who sought separation.

Acceding to their plea, Judge Devdass arrested, ''it is a clear case of irretrievable breakdown of nikah. They cannot carry out the wish of Allah in carrying out their matrimonial obligations. They (couple) have categorically stated that they do wish not to live together and wish to put an end to their marriage.'' UNI SNR SJ PY HT1524