WHERE DIVORCE IS EASY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10545, 23 March 1920, Page 10

WHERE DIVORCE IS EASY

Few people except those -who live in the countries concerned realise that to certain. British subjects divorce is the easiest thing in the world. In Egypt, India, and the East generally all matrimonial matters concerning llohammedan subjects are governed by the law contained in the holy Koran —the Mohammedan Bible. In ra.v own court—held in an out-of-the-world town—cases in connection with divorce attract no attention, and two or three are often settled ’n the course of a morning's wort. . , When la Mohammedan marries .he takes his bride before a sheikh, mullah, or cadi, and goes through a ceremony not unlike the alleged American one of, "Have her?" "Yes." "Have him?’ "Yes." "Hitched. Two dollars, please.” But there is a third and most important question put (to the man) at a Mohammedan wedding, and that is: "What is the woman's mehr (dowry)?" . ; Why it is imjiortant 1 shall explain later. . Should a Mohammedan desire to divorce his wife ho has only to say to her three separate times, in the presence of witnesses: "I divorce you!" The woman cannot divorce her husband. Yes, I know it sounds very onesided, but "wait and see."

At marriage the husband has agreed to the dowry that is to be settled on his wife, but bo far ho has not been asked to take any further steps in the matter. Now, however, that heriias divorced her the dowry must be forthcoming, and it forms a'first charge against his estate should he be insolvent. He is also responsible for the maintenance of all issue of the marriage.

The woman goes forth with a hand, some dot in hand, and—after a little while—is free to marry again. Note that the divorce declaration mn«l he-repeated three times. The underlying iaea is to prevent a man from divorcing his wife through pique while ho is in a rage. It is presumed that by the time he has said, I divorce you!'' the second time he will have realised what he ie about, and will hesitate to pronounce the final decree. And should he not pronounce it he can only have his wife back on paying a fine. Should he repeal the sentence for the •third time, the divorce is irrevocable, inasmuch as he may not remarry the woman .until she has been married to another man, and, of course, again divorced or made a widow. All this mav seem rather appalling to the average Christian, but X can assure you that anyone who has much to do with matrimonial affairs as they concern Mohammedans soon comes to realise that the prophet Mohammed was a shrewd judge of human nature, and that there as much to bo said in favour of the laws governing the relations between man and wife as revealed to him. —BIMBASHI, in the "Daily Mail."