[Q 229] What is the actual concept of khula in Islam?

Question

We want to know what is the actual concept of khula in Islam?

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Islam is a complete and perfect religion that provides complete guidance regarding every aspect of life. Islamic laws are based on fairness and moderation. And if these laws are fully and properly enforced, corruption in society comes to an end and the goodness of these Laws becomes evident.

From the beautiful laws in Islam khula (divorce on demand of wife) is one of them. Its actual concept is that certain rights have been set for the husband and wife over each other but in certain cases there are also people who fail to fulfill these rights. Sometimes there is violation of rights by the wife, and sometimes by the husband.

However, Islam has urged reconciliation and forgiveness as much as possible but if the matter deteriorates to the extent that living together becomes difficult even while adhering to the Shariah Laws and limits, then to avoid conflicts and fights Shariah has allowed the woman to take separation.

One way to separation is that the husband divorces his wife. (This case would not be called khula).

The second way is that either one or both spouses fear that they cannot live together fulfilling each other’s Shariah rights. So they make a deal/agreement that the woman gives some compensation to the husband in return for a divorce. This form of separation by mutual agreement in exchange of compensation is called “Khula” in Islam and it is a form of settlement between the two.

Allah سبحانه وتعالىٰ says in Surah Baqarah:

وَ لَا یَحِلُّ لَكُمْ اَنْ تَاْخُذُوْا مِمَّاۤ اٰتَیْتُمُوْهُنَّ شَیْــٴًـا اِلَّاۤ اَنْ یَّخَافَاۤ اَلَّا یُقِیْمَا حُدُوْدَ اللّٰهِؕ-فَاِنْ خِفْتُمْ اَلَّا یُقِیْمَا حُدُوْدَ اللّٰهِۙ-فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیْهِمَا فِیْمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهٖؕ-تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ فَلَا تَعْتَدُوْهَاۚ-وَ مَنْ یَّتَعَدَّ حُدُوْدَ اللّٰهِ فَاُولٰٓىٕكَ هُمُ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ

Translation from Kanz Ul Iman:

“And it is not lawful for you to take back from the women a portion of what you have given them (i.e. dowry) except when both fear that they will not establish the limits of Allah. If you then fear that they (i.e. husband and wife) will not remain on those exact limits of Allah, so there is no sin upon them if the woman pays to get her release. These are the limits of Allah, do not exceed them; and those who transgress the limits of Allah, so only those people are unjust.”

(Para: 2, Surah: 2, Verse No: 229)

This is the verse that contains the ruling regarding Khula. The background of the revelation of this verse is as follows: The wife of Thabit bin Qais came to the court of the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I do not have any complaint regarding the character and Deen of Thabit bin Qais (meaning he has a good character and is religious) but I do not like to show ingratitude to the favours in Islam (meaning I am not physically attracted to him due to his lack of beauty). The Prophet ﷺ asked her:

 أَتَرُدِّينَ عَلَيْهِ حَدِيقَتَهُ؟

Meaning:

“Will you return his garden (that was given to you as dower)?” She said Yes.

The Prophet ﷺ said to Thabit bin Qais:

 اقْبَلِ الحَدِيقَةَ وَطَلِّقْهَا تَطْلِيقَةً

Meaning:

“Accept the garden and divorce her once.”

(صحیح البخاری، کتاب الطلاق، باب الخلع وکیف الطلاق فیہ، الحدیث: ۵۲۷۳،جلد 7، صفحہ 47، دار طوق النجاۃ)

The above mentioned narration was the first case of Khula that took place in Islam. There are more rulings in Shariah regarding Khula such as:

Some key rulings regarding Khula:

– There is no sin upon either spouse regarding the compensation amount that the woman pays to the husband in return for separation. (This ruling is understood from the aforementioned verse.)

(ماخوذ از تفسیر نعیمی ، جلد 2، صفحہ 445، نعیمی کتب خانہ)

– The Scholars mention that if violation of rights is from the husband’s side, then it is disliked (Makruh) for him to take any compensation for Khula – whether he takes less or a lot. And if violation is from the wife’s side, then the husband should not take more than whatever dower he had stipulated, to take more than that is disliked (Makruh). However, if more is stipulated then she will have to give that amount.

– The Hadith mentioned above also makes it clear that just the woman giving wealth is not enough for Khula but she will also demand divorce from the husband in lieu of that compensation and the husband will have to divorce her. Only then Khula will be considered complete.

– The Hadith also makes it clear that on a woman’s demand, the judge himself will not give the divorce but if the woman comes before the judge with her claim and her excuse is reasonable and reconciliation is also not happening, then the judge will order the husband to accept the compensation and give her divorce. As the Prophet ﷺ himself did not give divorce to that woman but ordered her husband to accept the compensation and divorce her.

One reason for this is also that the right to issue divorce has been given to the husband.

– With Khula, one irrevocable (Eik Bain Talaq) divorce takes place.

For some details regarding the above issues, please see the following:

فتاوی ہندیہ میں خلع کی تعریف بیان کرتے ہوئے لکھا ہے:  إزالة ملك النكاح ببدل بلفظ الخلع كذا في فتح القدير

(الفتاوى الهندية ،جلد1، صفحہ 488، دار الفکر، بیروت)

بہار شریعت میں ہے:” مال کے بدلے میں نکاح زائل کرنے کو خلع کہتے ہیں عورت کا قبول کرنا شرط ہے بغیر اُس کے قبول کیے خلع نہیں ہو سکتا ۔ “

(بہار شریعت ، جلد2، صفحہ194، مطبوعہ مکتبۃ المدینہ )

حضرت عطاء رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ حضور صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم سے یہ روایت بیان کرتے ہیں کہ حضور نے ارشاد فرمایا:” لا يأخذ من المختلعة أكثر مما أعطاها “ترجمہ: شوہر نے جتنا مال دیا تھا اس سے زیادہ خلع لینے والی خاتون سے نہ لے۔

(السنن الكبرى للبيهقی ، جلد 7، صفحہ 514، دار الکتب العلمیہ، بیروت)

فتاوی ہندیہ میں ہے: ”إن كان النشوز من قبل الزوج فلا يحل له أخذ شيء من العوض على الخلع وهذا حكم الديانة فإن أخذ جاز ذلك في الحكم ولزم حتى لا تملك استرداده كذا في البدائع. وإن كان النشوز من قبلها كرهنا له أن يأخذ أكثر مما أعطاها من المهر ولكن مع هذا يجوز أخذ الزيادة في القضاء كذا في غاية البيان.“

(الفتاوى الهندية ،جلد1، صفحہ 488، دار الفکر، بیروت)

اسی میں ہے: ” إذا تشاق الزوجان وخافا أن لا يقيما حدود الله فلا بأس بأن تفتدي نفسها منه بمال يخلعها به فإذا فعلا ذلك وقعت تطليقة بائنة ولزمها المال كذا في الهداية.

(الفتاوى الهندية ،جلد1، صفحہ 488، دار الفکر، بیروت)

Answered By: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated By: Shaheer Attari