Q: My wife and I are experiencing marital problems. She is demanding a divorce from me. According to the legal system of the country where I reside, in the case of divorce, she has the right to claim 50% of my assets. I have not yet paid her her mahr. She is now demanding 50% of my wealth as well as her unpaid mahr. If she takes advantage of the legal system and takes me to court claiming 50% of my wealth, will this wealth be halaal for her according to Shariah and will I still have to give her the outstanding mahr?
A: This system is alien to Islam. Islam does not recognise this kaafir system. In Islam, whatever belongs to each spouse is his and the other spouse does not have any right over it. Therefore, if you did not give your wife her mahr, you should give it to her as this is her haq. However, she does not have any right to claim 50% of your wealth. Despite this system being recognized by the government, it will not make the 50% halaal for her in the sight of Shariah. Furthermore, if she obtains 50% of your wealth, she will be depriving your heirs of their rights (as this 50% wealth taken unjustly will form part of your estate after your demise and will have to be distributed among your heirs according to the stipulated shares of inheritance) and she will be answerable for this in the Hereafter. If you are forced under government law to give 50% of your wealth to her and her mahr amount was less than 50% of the wealth you gave her, you will not have to give her the mahr as it is included in the 50% which you had given her.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
يوصيكُمُ اللَّـهُ فى أَولـدِكُم لِلذَّكَرِ مِثلُ حَظِّ الأُنثَيَينِ فَإِن كُنَّ نِساءً فَوقَ اثنَتَينِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثا ما تَرَكَ وَإِن كانَت وحِدَةً فَلَهَا النِّصفُ وَلِأَبَوَيهِ لِكُلِّ وحِدٍ مِنهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمّا تَرَكَ إِن كانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَإِن لَم يَكُن لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَواهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ فَإِن كانَ لَهُ إِخوَةٌ فَلِأُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ مِن بَعدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يوصى بِها أَو دَينٍ ءاباؤُكُم وَأَبناؤُكُم لا تَدرونَ أَيُّهُم أَقرَبُ لَكُم نَفعًا فَريضَةً مِنَ اللَّـهِ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كانَ عَليمًا حَكيمًا ﴿١١﴾ وَلَكُم نِصفُ ما تَرَكَ أَزوجُكُم إِن لَم يَكُن لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمّا تَرَكنَ مِن بَعدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يوصينَ بِها أَو دَينٍ وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمّا تَرَكتُم إِن لَم يَكُن لَكُم وَلَدٌ فَإِن كانَ لَكُم وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمّا تَرَكتُم مِن بَعدِ وَصِيَّةٍ توصونَ بِها أَو دَينٍ وَإِن كانَ رَجُلٌ يورَثُ كَلـلَةً أَوِ امرَأَةٌ وَلَهُ أَخٌ أَو أُختٌ فَلِكُلِّ وحِدٍ مِنهُمَا السُّدُسُ فَإِن كانوا أَكثَرَ مِن ذلِكَ فَهُم شُرَكاءُ فِى الثُّلُثِ مِن بَعدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يوصى بِها أَو دَينٍ غَيرَ مُضارٍّ وَصِيَّةً مِنَ اللَّـهِ وَاللَّـهُ عَليمٌ حَليمٌ ﴿النساء: ١٢﴾
فللزوجات حالتان الربع بلا ولد والثمن مع الولد … فللزوج حالتان النصف والربع (الدر المختار 6/770)
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)