CII suggestions

The Council of Islamic Ideology recently held that the practice of pronouncing divorce three times simultaneously instead of over a period of time should be criminalised due to fears of rising divorce rates in the country. This is a very encouraging move. Muslim women will now find relative security in a ‘sacred relationship’ that could in the past be abruptly broken with three consecutive pronouncements of divorce. While welcoming this as a step in the right direction, it is difficult to remain oblivious to the volatile state of our nation. With the country chronically plagued by radical anarchists and religious fundamentalists, the CII bears the crucial responsibility to present the correct picture of Islam and redirect the misguided amongst us.
Unfortunately, our clerics find it impossible to free themselves of issues other than those that concern our women. In the past, the council has delivered decisions where it has validated the child marriage. It also faced criticism when it declared that Shariah does not bind a husband to seek permission from any of his wives before contracting another marriage. Pakistan is an Islamic state and the CII needs to acknowledge its role as a religiously advisory body on all aspects of our daily lives, regardless of whether we are men, women, children, young and old.
Barrister Mobeen Shah
UK