the difficulties of the married life along with its comforts, and to avoid disturbing the disruption of the family relations as long as possible, turning to divorce only as a last resort.

Principle of divorce

From what has been said above, it is clear that not only must there be a good cause for divorce, but that all means to effect reconciliation must have been exhausted before resort is had to this extreme measure. The impression that a Muslim husband may put away his wife at a mere caprice, is a grave distortion of the Islamic institution of divorce. But though the Holy Qur’ān refers to several causes when divorce may become necessary, it does not enumerate all of them, nor does it strictly limit them to specified cases. These causes must vary with changing conditions of humanity and society.

The principle of divorce spoken of in the Holy Qur’ān, and which in fact includes to a greater or less extent all causes, is the decision no longer to live together as husband and wife. In fact, marriage itself is nothing but an agreement to live together as husband and wife, and when either of the parties finds itself unable to agree to such a life, divorce must follow. It is not, of course, meant that every disagreement between them would lead to divorce; it is only the disagreement to live any more as husband and wife. In the Holy Qur’ān such disagreement is called shiqāq (from shaqq meaning breaking into two). But not even the shiqāq entitles either party to a divorce, unless all possibilities of agreement have been exhausted. The principle of divorce is, therefore, described in the Holy Qur’ān thus: “And if you fear a breach (shiqāq) between the two, then appoint an arbiter from his people and an arbiter from her people. If they both desire agreement, Allāh will effect harmony between them; surely Allāh is ever Knowing, Aware” (4:35). And further on it is added: “And if they separate, Allāh will render them both free from want out of His ampleness, and Allāh is ever Ample-giving, Wise” (4:130).

This verse gives us not only the principle of divorce, which is shiqāq or a disagreement to live together as husband and wife, but also