Numerous reports have surfaced about digital divorces among Islamic couples. A man has only to say "I divorce you" three times and the couple is divorced. And using digital resources has been the "in" thing to do.
Divorce by Test Message
The Arab News reported in April 2009 that a Shariah court in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia had approved the divorce of a young Saudi woman in her 20s whose husband sent her an SMS text from Iraq saying he had divorced her.
The husband, who is in Iraq to participate in what he described as “jihad,” also telephoned two of his friends who witnessed his marriage and told them that he had divorced his wife. ... The judge approved the divorce and told the woman that she did not have to go through the iddah (the 3-month post-divorce waiting period stipulated by the Shariah) as the marriage was not consummated.
SMS, text message, email divorce
Textually.org reported in February 2009 that even though women do not have access to mobile phones or computers, men use landline phones to pronounce the divorce declaration. "From 15 divorces that one study looked at in 2008, eight were pronounced via SMS, e-mail and over the phone," said Husssain. The phenomenon is taking place despite a decree by the All-India Muslim Women Personal Law Board’s which forbids men from divorcing by electronic means.
For a comprehensive look at digital divorce among Islamics, see textually.org at this thread.
Divorce by Facebook
While not the same thing -- not an Islamic divorce, there was the highly Facebook divorce where Mr. Brady wrote on his Facebook wall that It read: 'Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady.'
Kiara, this is not how divorce works for most people. However, under Islam, a husband merely has to say "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you" (in other words, to say it three times) for the religious community to accept the divorce. There is then a three month post-divorce waiting period. These news stories are talking about how some modern Islamics are using text messages rather than a face-to-face conversation to accomplish the divorce.
Posted by: Jeanne M Hannah | August 25, 2009 at 05:23 AM
This is really funny. Is this real story?? Is it possible? How can one ends a relation(whatever be the period of time they are attached with) by sending just a message or a mail? In which world we are living man??
Posted by: Kiara | August 25, 2009 at 12:22 AM
What an interesting story! I am sharing it on my blog, by referencing back to your posting, but adding a Pennsylvania spin on it. Thanks.
Posted by: Michael Viola | August 21, 2009 at 04:31 PM