Representational imageLucknow: The All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board and the All India Shia Personal Law Board Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court judgment on triple talaq, terming it as a victory of Islam and Muslim women in the country.
The decision, they said, has given new hope to Muslim women.
"The Supreme Court decision is historic, it is the victory of women in the country. But more than that, it is the victory of Islam," said president of the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board Shaista Amber, who has been fighting for the rights of Muslim women.
"We hope that triple talaq will be banned once and for all in times to come," she said, adding it causes immense hardships to Muslim women even though "there is no provision of triple talaq in Islam".
"This discriminatory arrangement is made by so-called religious leaders and it has harmed the lives of lakh of women...the decision has given new hope to Muslim women," she said.
The Supreme Court by a majority verdict Tuesday ruled that the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims is "void", "illegal" and "unconstitutional" and held that it is against the basic tenets of Quran.
Asking the government to enact a new law without harming the Sharia, she hoped that a new legislation will be brought without any pressure to ensure welfare and prosperity of Muslim women.
The All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Maulana Yasoob Abbas too welcomed the decision, saying it will help end harassment of Muslim women in the name of triple talaq.
"There was no arrangement of triple talaq in the times of Holy Prophet...We want a strong legislation against triple talaq...A law similar to the one against the practice of Sati," he said.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani, however, refused to comment on the verdict saying, the board will sit together and decide on the future steps in this matter.
Feel victorious and protected: Muslim women
Muslim women, who had knocked the doors of the Supreme Court opposing triple talaq, rejoiced at the historic judgment striking down the practice, saying they have emerged "victorious" and now feel protected.
However, some women petitioners opined that the victory in its true sense would be achieved once a law comes into force, making the practice punishable.
Farah Faiz, Zakia Suman, Noorjehan Niaz and the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) either described the verdict as a "moment of big victory," "big relief" or as "half the battle won."
"The court has given a direction to the government to frame a law. We have won half the battle. We will be victorious in the true sense only once the law is framed so as to make this practice punishable. There is no remedy for women against the practice till a law is framed," Faiz, also the president of Rashtrawadi Muslim Mahila Sangh, said.
Advocate Chandra Rajan, who represented the AIMWPLB, said "It is a monumental, landmark verdict and the Supreme Court could not give more to the Muslim women. The court has protected every Muslim woman. After six months, a law will be in place and we are very happy about it."
Niaz of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) expressed relief over the legal backing that the verdict has brought for the Muslim women.
"Now, Muslim women will be able to enjoy their fundamental rights and have a codified law that will guarantee them their fundamental rights. Just like the Hindu personal law which has legal backing, the law for muslims should have the same," she said.
Co-founder of BMMA Zakia Suman also welcomed the verdict but said the battle for women's rights will still go on.
Bangladeshi author Tasneema Nasreen also reacted to the verdict in a tweet posted by her, saying, "Quran2:229 says about #TripleTalaq. Quran4:34 says about beating wife. Abolish 1400 yrs old Quranic laws. Need modern laws based on equality. Abolishing #TripleTalaq may be a slap to Muslim Law Board but it is definitely not women's freedom. Women need to be educated and independent."
Triple talaq , or verbal divorce, is practiced by some in the Muslim community to instantly divorce their wives by saying talaq three times.
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