Question 1
My wife and I are approaching the end of our marriage, and the only reason we remain together is for our two children. My question concerns my financial obligations to her after the divorce. She claims that I must support her until she remarries. Is this correct? She also wants custody of the children, and I don’t want to separate them from their mother. I plan to live nearby. Additionally, I owe her a backlog of financial support (nafaqah) that she willingly deferred, which I intend to repay. Do I have any further obligations beyond this?
Answer 1
Question 2
Dear Islamic Social Services,
I have been divorced by my ex-husband with three irrevocable divorces. He was physically abusive to our children, who have disabilities. He has not provided any financial support for over a year. My eldest child is now 19 years old.
My ex-husband has remarried and has a child from this new marriage.
I want to ensure my children’s safety and well-being. My questions are as follows:
1. Does the father have the right to visit the children? Can I prevent him from visiting through a protection order?
2. Does the father have the right to custody of the children? I do not want him to gain custody at any point.
3. Is the father accountable for financial support? I am unable to work as I need to care for my disabled children full-time.
I previously received fatwa 9121888, but it did not address children’s rights or financial support.
Answer 2
Question 3
Assalamu Alaikum Wa RahmatullahI just got married, and we both were living a happy life. ALLAH knows there wasn’t a massive issue between us that was impossible to resolve. However, we were not given time to spend with each other. My wife works with her parents, and from the day we landed in the UK, she went to work. I never had problems with her working, but it became too much for her and started affecting her mental health. When I asked her family to give us some time off, they didn’t like the idea.
One day, they took their daughter to their house, and after that, I never saw my wife again. The very next day, they asked me to divorce her. For over 60 days, I waited for them to send her back, but they never did, and we both lost contact. In her house, her mom is the one who rules over everyone. I tried to talk to her and requested many times to resolve the situation, but they never wanted to.
They started threatening me and forcing me to divorce her. When I refused, they said the relationship was over, whether I agreed or not. I didn’t even have proof of my Nikaah as they never gave me the certificate. Over 60 days, I tried my best to stop them from asking for a divorce, but they didn’t agree. There was no contact with my wife, and she never said she wanted a divorce from me.
I went to solicitors for help, but I didn’t have proof of my Nikaah. When I asked for help retrieving my degrees, documents, visa papers, etc., from their house, they couldn’t help because I didn’t have proof of address to show I lived there. My in-laws never gave me keys to the postal box outside the house. I never understood why they didn’t give me the keys, but the situation was against me.
They threatened to deport me, accuse me of abusing her, and put me in jail or call the police. Things worsened daily. I had a lot of debt from my wedding and visa extension, and if they carried out their threats, my life would be ruined. My important documents, such as my passport, visa, and degree certificates, were in their house. If they destroyed them, my life would be over. My father, a heart patient, was in Pakistan, and I didn’t want him to know about this.
One day, I sought help from an Alim, requesting him to mediate. When the Alim called to speak to them, they refused to meet. The next day, the Alim told me they had called him in my absence, and after visiting their house, he advised me to end the relationship to avoid further harm. This was my last hope to resolve the matter, but Allah knows what they told him.
I was having daily panic attacks, unable to sleep, so one day, I signed the divorce papers they demanded to get my belongings back. I bear witness to ALLAH (SWT) that I never had the intention to end the relationship. I love my wife deeply and still do. ALLAH (SWT) knows they forced me to such an extent that I had no choice but to sign. I never verbally gave the divorce.
Salam Alaikum,I deeply appreciate your response but would like to add that deportation is not a normal matter for me. I have an asylum visa in the UK due to life threats back home. The people I had issues with even tried to harm me in the UK, and I had to relocate. After thorough investigation, the UK government issued me an asylum visa. If required, I can provide a copy of it.
When I mentioned deportation threats by my in-laws, it was not just a typical threat. Please take this into consideration when reviewing my case. JazakALLAH Khair.
Answer 3
Question 4
I am divorced with two children (a 9-year-old boy and a 7-year-old daughter). My ex-wife, as I am led to believe, has settled down and may or may not have performed nikah with the man I accused her of being involved with while we were married. I assume he is also divorced and has two children of his own, likely around the same age as mine.
My First Question: What is the most authentic ruling regarding custody of children post-divorce? Where and with whom should they reside, and from what age, as explained purely by Shariah?
My Second Question: If they decide to move in together and are married (for the purposes of this question), how does the concept of mahram apply? Specifically:
1. Is this man a mahram to my daughter?
2. What about his children and their exposure to mine? I fear potential abuse, bullying, or even teasing that my children are only there because my ex-wife married their father. Additionally, if their natural father provides for my children, could jealousy or animosity arise? These possibilities concern me, hence my questions.
Answer 4
Question 5
As-Salamu Alaikum,I recently found out that my ex-husband divorced me on November 16, 2012, but he only informed me today (February 18, 2013). He mentioned it so I could calculate my iddah, but it has been over four months and four menstrual cycles. I’m currently on my fourth cycle. I believe my iddah has technically ended, even though I was unaware I was observing it. My questions are:
1. Is my iddah complete even though I didn’t know about the divorce, or do I need to start it today (the day I found out)?
2. How should I properly perform my iddah? I was out of the country from November 16, 2012, to December 29, 2012, and have been staying at my parents’ house since returning. May Allah reward you for your guidance. Ameen.
Answer 5
Question 6
What are my ex-husband's financial responsibilities towards me and our children, and how should custody and nafaqah be calculated Islamically, considering my contributions during the marriage and the past financial situation?
Answer 6
Question 7
Is my nikah valid if I did not observe iddah after my first divorce, and is there any kaffarah I should pay for not performing iddah?
Answer 7
Question 8
Is my marriage still valid Islamically, or are we considered divorced due to our long separation? If we are divorced, what do I do about iddah, especially given my circumstances?
Answer 8
Question 9
What are our Islamic rights in a situation where the other party is unwilling to resolve matters through Shari'ah and has sought legal advice from non-Islamic sources? Additionally, what are the rights regarding custody and support for children after divorce?
Answer 9
Question 10
My husband divorced me not long ago, and I have completed my iddah. He has not returned any of my belongings, including the gold that my parents gave me. I have asked him, but he refuses to give it back. I also reached out to his parents, but they have ignored my messages. What can I do?
Answer 10