54,506 Muslim divorce cases recorded nationwide in nine months

In the first nine months of this year, a total of 54,506 Muslim divorce cases were registered nationwide, with Selangor leading the count at 10,872 cases. According to the Syariah Department, 44,603 cases have been resolved, while 9,394 cases are still pending, and 509 have been archived. Resolved cases encompass divorces through mutual consent, court decisions following trial, and court-ordered dissolutions.

However, not all resolved cases guarantee a legal divorce; applications like fasakh might be dismissed if the grounds lack basis and sufficient evidence according to syarak. Archived cases are those that have been closed due to various reasons, such as withdrawal of the application or failure to attend court proceedings. The types of divorce cases recorded include applications for pronouncement of talak before a judge, confirmation of pronouncements made outside the court, fasakh claims, taklik, and tebus talak.

Abu Suffian Abu Yaziz, a senior director at the Syariah Judiciary Department, attributed the rise in divorce cases to a lack of awareness regarding domestic responsibilities, as some couples fail to prepare adequately for the responsibilities that come with marriage, such as maintenance and children's needs. The court prioritizes reconciliation or sulh before making any decision, in accordance with Islamic family law provisions.

If reconciliation is successful, the couple may reconcile; if not, the court will proceed with the next steps. The dissolution of a marriage typically involves ancillary claims such as iddah maintenance, mutaah, child support, custody, maintenance arrears, and matrimonial property division. The Syariah Court aims not only to dissolve the marriage but also to ensure the process complies with syarak and the law, and determines the rights of all parties fairly, particularly regarding maintenance.

To raise awareness about rights and responsibilities following a divorce, the department conducts community briefing programmes on marital rights. Selangor Chief Syariah Judge Nenney Shuhaidah Shamsuddin highlighted that the first five years of marriage are often the most challenging as couples adjust to domestic life, and some couples face separation during this period.

Factors contributing to divorce include financial problems, communication breakdowns, failure to fulfill domestic responsibilities, and third-party interference, with social media playing an additional role by inviting external interference.