Are Muslim Women Trapped in Marriages in Denmark?
“we do not have certain courts for Muslims. The essence of Danish culture is the fact that we now have courts that affect every person. There are numerous democratic Muslims, whom lead normal life and generally are well incorporated in Danish culture. I am aware it’s easier in theory, but then we as society must help them. ” — Minister of Integration Mattias Tesfaye, Berlingske Tidende, February 2, 2020.
One imam, Mostafa Chendid, estimates that 2,000-3000 women that are muslim Denmark are caught in Islamic marriages they can not get free from.
” this is a big issue and lots of men keep the females hostage in marriages they cannot wish. They will not accept a divorce proceedings from A danish court — just from the religious one”, he stated. “we understand ladies who have actually tried in vain for a decade discover an imam that may accept their breakup. 80-90 per cent for the imams will perhaps not notice that a divorce or separation from a court that is danish also legitimate. As well as the same time frame, the ladies’s husbands and families let them know that they’re perhaps not divorced until they usually have the imams’ approval. ” — Imam Mostafa Chendid, Kristeligt Dagblad, January 16, 2020.
It absolutely was four years ago that Danish television first exposed sharia councils and imams that help keep Muslim women in abusive marriages as well as in synchronous communities. Exactly How is it feasible that Danish politicians are nevertheless “surprised”?
As a result up to a report that is new “Ethnic minority ladies and divorce – with a concentrate on Muslim practice, ” Denmark’s Minister of Integration, Mattias Tesfaye, stated: “The report is shocking. We inhabit 2020. Perhaps perhaps Not in the centre many years. The oppressed ladies require to understand their liberties. We will not accept social control. ” (Image supply: PES Communications/Flickr)
In March 2016, a television that is three-part, “The Mosques Behind the Veil, ” had been aired on Danish TV2. The documentary delivered two young Muslims undercover, as Fatma and Muhammed, to a quantity of “parallel” Muslim societies in Denmark.
For the true purpose of the documentary, Fatma was handed a cover that is personal — according to real-life issues — which is why she would talk to the various imams: Her husband had been violent, and she would not need to have sexual intercourse with him. She could maybe maybe not have a baby along with his family members had discovered a wife that is second him. Most of the imams that are danish who she consulted into the documentary shared with her to hold because of the physical violence. Her– ten times — that she must go back to her husband and try again when she pleaded for divorce at a sharia council in the Fredens mosque in Г…rhus, Denmark’s second largest city, the imams there refused and told.
At that time, Danish researchers estimated that there have been a wide range of sharia councils in Denmark. “Sharia councils are evidently a market that is black which exists in hiding. It really is difficult for me personally to place a quantity onto it, however it is here, ” said Professor Thomas Hoffmann during the University of Copenhagen in 2016.
Four years later on, in February 2020, the day-to-day newsprint Berlingske Tidende unveiled that an Islamic center in Copenhagen, Islamic Center for the European Countries, functions as a type of sharia court, and “issues legal Islamic judgments and responses in every instances associated with Islamic faith, guidelines, wedding, divorce, conduct, inheritance and halal/haram concerns, all centered on Al-Qur’an, Sunnah and Muslim scholars’ contract and analogies, ” whilst the center composed in a document explaining its tasks. Danish authorities ought to have understood this — the description is located one of many approved spiritual communities in Denmark from the Danish Church Ministry’s own website.
The “discovery” associated with sharia court employs a fresh report, “Ethnic minority ladies and divorce – with a concentrate on Muslim practice, ” written when it comes to Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration, indicated that Muslim ladies who had been hitched based on Islamic legislation — either abroad or in Denmark — battle to have a spiritual breakup from an imam that is danish.
“The report is shocking. We are now living in 2020. Maybe maybe Not at the center many years. The oppressed ladies require to understand their liberties. We will not accept social control” stated Danish Minister of Integration Mattias Tesfaye.
One interviewed girl, recognized as Khulud, an immigrant from Iraq, described just exactly how her husband declined to divorce her:
“I became regarding the phone he began to threaten me with him and. He explained: ‘I’m able to allow you to be sorry for the you got to know me day. I will be happy to utilize all way to create yourself bitter and intolerable’. But theimams keep telling me just, ‘we can not provide a lady a divorce or separation, that has made her Nikah Islamic wedding agreement in Iraq. ‘ We have tried to kill myself many times – i will be simply therefore tired. “
Minister of Integration Tesfaye stated he wishes Danish sharia councils “stopped”.
“then there are lots of countries to go to if you want a country with sharia courts. No one forces those kinds of men and women in which to stay Denmark, ” Tesfaye said.
“we do not have particular courts for Muslims. The essence of Danish culture is the fact that we now have. Courts that apply to everybody. There are numerous muslims that are democratic who lead normal everyday lives and are also well incorporated in Danish society. They need to maybe maybe perhaps not feel devoted to a spiritual authority in Denmark and submit to a supplementary collection of guidelines. No body is obliged to attend an imam to obtain a divorce or separation. If many people believe they truly are in a married relationship against their will likely then they should go right to the authorities. There are not any shortcuts right here. I am aware its easier said than done, but then we as society must help them”.
” As being a federal federal federal government, ” he included, “we have been perhaps not planning to facilitate an institution that is islamic approves divorces. Our authorities are for all of us no matter spiritual background. We just have one group of guidelines and another group of courts. “
One imam, Mostafa Chendid, estimates that 2,000-3000 Muslim women in Denmark are caught in Islamic marriages they can’t get free from. ” it really is a problem that is big lots of men contain the females hostage in marriages they just do not wish. They will not accept a breakup from A danish court вђ“ only from the spiritual one, ” he stated. “I’m sure women who have actually tried in vain for 10 years to locate an imam that may accept their breakup. ” He included:
“80-90 per cent of this imams will likely not notice that a divorce or separation from a court that is danish additionally valid consistently. As well as the same time frame, the ladies’s husbands and families let them know they are perhaps not divorced until they will have the imams’ approval”.
Based on Jesper Petersen, who co-wrote the report, “Ethnic minority females and divorce proceedings with a give attention to Muslim practice”:
“. Some Muslim women experience serious issues of physical and mental punishment and control that is social. As well as in their regional surroundings the secular divorce or separation. Just isn’t considered adequate to reduce the divorce that is religious. Which is why the spouse could well keep them within an Islamic wedding against their might. “
It absolutely was four years ago that Danish television first exposed sharia councils and imams that help keep Muslim women in abusive marriages plus in parallel communities. Just exactly How how is it possible that Danish politicians are nevertheless “surprised”?
Judith Bergman, a columnist, attorney and political analyst, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
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