Prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has called on Islamic judges and clerics to allow Muslim women trapped in abusive marriages to seek divorce without being compelled to pay compensation to their husbands.
Gumi made the call during his weekly Tafsir session at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, while delivering a lecture titled “How Wives in Islam Can Also Divorce Their Cruel Husbands Without Compensation.”
He said Islam does not support oppression in marriage and that both men and women have equal rights to end a union when love, peace, and mutual respect have broken down.
According to him, Islamic law must be applied with fairness, compassion, and justice — especially in cases where women suffer abuse or neglect.
“A husband can simply utter words and end a marriage, but when a woman seeks freedom from an abusive man, she is told to pay compensation. That is injustice, and Islam stands against oppression,” Gumi said.
The scholar explained that in many Muslim communities, women face harsh conditions when trying to end abusive marriages through khul’ (a compensatory form of divorce). He described this practice as unfair and contrary to Islamic teachings.
Quoting verses from the Qur’an (Q4:35, Q4:19, and Q4:130), Gumi said Allah permits separation when harmony no longer exists, adding that Islam emphasises justice, not gender discrimination.
“When a husband insults, humiliates, or beats his wife, he forfeits the right to demand compensation. It becomes the duty of the judge to dissolve such a marriage immediately,” he said.
“No woman should be trapped in misery. A marriage built on cruelty is not valid in the eyes of Allah.”
Gumi urged Qadis (Islamic judges) to act with courage and fairness when presiding over marital disputes, insisting that their duty is to protect the weak and ensure justice for all.
He also criticised men who use religion as a tool to control or punish their wives, saying such behaviour contradicts Islamic values of kindness and mercy.
The cleric stressed that Islam regards marriage as a bond built on love, respect, and compassion, not oppression or dominance.
“A healthy marriage must be based on mercy and understanding. When these values disappear, both the husband and the wife have the right to walk away in dignity,” he said.
He added that it was wrong for society to stigmatise divorced women or make it difficult for them to find peace after leaving abusive relationships.
Sheikh Gumi’s message comes amid growing concern about domestic violence and marital abuse in Nigeria, especially among Muslim couples seeking justice through Sharia courts.
Gumi’s comments have been widely interpreted as a call for reform in how Islamic courts handle marriage disputes, especially in northern Nigeria.
He urged religious authorities to revisit traditional interpretations that place undue burden on women and to promote rulings that reflect the true spirit of Islam — which, he said, stands for fairness, balance, and compassion.
“Islam never supports oppression. Justice must be our guiding principle in all matters, especially in the home,” he concluded.
