Understanding Islam — Page 157
155 It is obvious that if a woman is suffering under difficult and fearful conditions with a potentially abusive husband, advising her to forego sexual relations or to take physical acts to respond to his violence or abuse may likely endanger her even further by inciting his anger. In such a situation, the best approach would be to involve third parties from both the husband’s side and the wife’s side, to assess the degree of damage to the relationship that may have occurred, and to see if there is potential for reconciliation and also to see if it would be essential to make an onward referral to the appropriate legal authorities whose proper domain it is to provide redress under the law. If reconciliation cannot be brought about, the wife has the permission in Islam to divorce her husband, regardless of the husband’s feelings in the matter. 33 Indeed, the following incident in the life of Prophet Muhammad sa is illustrative of how women have the right to divorce even for such reasons as simple incompatibility between spouses: The wife of Th ā bit bin Qais came to Prophet Muhammad sa and said, “O Allah’s Messenger sa ! I do not