NEW DELHI: India’s top court on Tuesday banned a controversial Islamic practice that allows men to divorce their wives instantly, ending a long tradition that many Muslim women had fiercely opposed.
The Supreme Court ruled that the practice of “triple talaq,” whereby Muslim men can divorce their wives by reciting the word talaq (divorce) three times, was both unconstitutional and un-Islamic.
Victims including Shayara Bano, whose husband used triple talaq to divorce her by letter in 2015, had approached India’s highest court to ask for a ruling.
A panel of five judges from India’s major faiths — Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism — said triple talaq was “not integral to religious practice and violates constitutional morality.”
They said it was “manifestly arbitrary” to allow a man to “break down (a) marriage whimsically and capriciously.”
“What is sinful under religion cannot be valid under law,” said the judges.
Bano, who suffered a nervous breakdown after her divorce, said it was a “historic occasion” for Muslim women.
“I appeal to the people to not politicize this issue and accept Supreme Court’s verdict on triple talaq,” she told reporters outside the court.
“I have felt the pain when family breaks. I hope no one has to go through this situation in future.”
India, which is officially secular, is one of the few nations that legally permitted the practice, which is banned in neighboring Bangladesh.
India allows religious institutions to govern matters of marriage, divorce and property inheritance in the multi-faith nation, enshrining triple talaq as a legal avenue for its 180 million Muslims to end unions.
But the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had backed the petitioners in this landmark case, declaring triple talaq unconstitutional and discriminatory against women.
Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has long pushed for a uniform civil code, governing Indians of all religions, to be enforced.
Maneka Gandhi, India’s minister for women and children, said the ruling was a “giant step for women.”
“Divorce is a very, very important part of a woman’s life,” she said in an interview with the News18 television channel.
“This makes her as equal as she is entitled to be under the constitution.”
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a grouping of Islamic organizations, had opposed any efforts to ban triple talaq.
The board said the practice was “reprehensible” but should not be a matter for the courts or the government.
Some Islamic scholars say there is no mention of instant divorce in the Qur’an, which instead details a different process based on mediation.
The practice had been challenged in lower courts but it was the first time India’s Supreme Court had considered whether triple talaq was legal.
India’s top court bans Islamic instant divorce
India’s top court bans Islamic instant divorce
Filipinos worry about future as Manila posts worst economic growth in 15 years
- Philippine economy slowed to weakest pace last quarter, with only 3.0 percent growth
- Filipinos struggle with high prices, increased business cost, reduced savings
MANILA: Over ten years ago, when Fatima Macud brought home roughly 30,000 pesos ($509) a month, the money was enough to cover her expenses and still leave room for savings.
Though she now earns 45,000 pesos, Macud finds herself unable to save any money as she struggles with rising prices to cover daily spending.
“Yes, I got a salary increase, but the thing is, the cost of living here in the city also increased,” the 52-year-old resident of Metro Manila told Arab News on Saturday.
“Now for me, it barely covers my basic needs because the price of commodities just keeps rising — goods, services, everything … Everything feels way too expensive … Now, I can’t save money at all. It’s not enough.”
The Philippine economy has slowed to the weakest pace in nearly 15 years outside of the pandemic, with data from the Philippines Statistics Authority showing just 3.0 percent growth in October to December, compared with 5.3 percent from the same period a year earlier.
The full-year growth in 2025 settled at 4.4 percent, below the 5.7 percent posted in 2024 and lower than the government’s revised target of at least 4.8 percent.
It was the result of “several converging factors,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters earlier this week.
“These include the adverse economic effects of weather and climate-related disruptions. Admittedly, the flood control corruption scandal also weighed on business and consumer confidence,” he said.
But on the ground, Filipinos were more concerned about their day-to-day lives, and the state of the economy has begun to spark new worries about the future.
“I am worried about my future, especially my retirement. If the government is in a bankruptcy state or ends up in financial trouble, will they be able to pay my pension? Can I still avail the free health services with full benefits?” Macud said.
“I’m also worried about my family’s future; the rising cost of living and the lack of employment opportunities.”
Olga Resureccion, a 52-year-old worker in Manila, is among those who believes the government has been “trying its best,” and is keeping her hopes alive.
“You can’t lose hope,” she said. “Most people are still able to provide for themselves and their family. Like (me), I’m able to provide. You just really need to work hard.”
Yet for entrepreneurs such as John Paul Maunes, the economic slowdown was taking a toll on his small restaurant in Cebu City, as he struggled with increasing prices of supplies, taxes and cost of government permits.
“I think people from the ground, especially business owners, are really struggling right now. Particularly those who are SMEs (small and medium enterprises),” Maunes said.
“We cannot increase our prices the way we want it because we’ll lose our customers. And at the same time, we are also struggling on how we can cope with the rising prices of commodities. Plus, the government permits and taxes are increasing every year.”
Over the years, the 41-year-old has had to lay off employees to survive, while hoping for more government support and opportunities through economic growth.
“We have this fear of impending doom as small business owners … With the increasing prices and economic impact on us on the ground, it’s a huge challenge,” he said.
“We’re just hoping that better things will come for our government, for our economy.”
