Muhammad the Liberator of Women — Page 12
12 M U H A M M A D S A W — T H E L I B E R A T O R O F W O M E N was also sufficient to end a marriage. Western Australia introduced divorce laws similar to the ones mentioned above, but here a marital union could also be terminated or annulled if a man found out after marriage that his wife was pregnant at the time of their betrothal. (Islam also legislates for this). In 1918 Cuba declared that misconduct, violence, abuse, criminal conviction, wantonness, the habit of gambling, not fulfilling marital rights, not providing financial support, infectious disease and mutual agreement were all reasonable justifications for divorce and separation. In 1919, Italy passed the law that established full property rights for women allowing them to spend their wealth in charity or however else they pleased (at a time when European laws did not consider women as the rightful owner of her wealth). In 1917 Mexico also passed laws which were very similar to other divorce and separation laws mentioned above. Moreover, mutual consent was also stipulated as sufficient grounds for separation. Portugal in 1915, Norway in 1909, Sweden in 1920 and Switzerland in 1912 have passed laws which legislate for divorce and rights of separation. Further, Swedish law has declared fathers legally responsible for the financial support of their children until the age of 18. The laws of the United States of America still favour men in terms of their rights over their children. However, in practice judges are more inclined to take into consideration the sentiments of women and now fathers are being made to provide financial support. There are still flaws in these laws and the rights of men are more strictly guarded, changes are afoot