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to be divorced just because she gave birth to girls only ?I Family
presure might also be brought to bear; many husbands had made
divorce a means for harming wives. embezzling their money and forcing
them to give up their rights.
A husband could divorce his wife and get married to her again
many times. It had been reported that a man from al-Anýgri. when he
became angry with his wife, said to her: "I will not treat you as
the husband treats his wife. and at the same time, I will not let
you go away. " The wife asked. "How? " The man said. "I will divorce
you, and as the interim period for divorce comes to an end. I will
remarry you again, and I will keep on doing that. " And he had done
that many times in order to embarrass her.
1 So divorce was an
easy matter, a woman was just like a puppet in her husband's hands.
He could play with her feelings, humiliate her. and divorce and
remarry her whenever he liked without her being able to defend herself
/ and her life. And even more than that, 'before Islam, a husband could
prevent his divorced wife from remarrying. and could drive a bargain
for his consent to the application of a suitor. ' 2
When divorce took place, he secured her agreement written and
endorsed by witnesses. When she had an offer of marriage from another
man, she had to pay her ex-husband. and get this agreement for her to
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marry another ma4, otherwise he could prevent her. This reflected
the position of woman generally in the Peninsula in pre-Islamic, times.
Although divorce and remarriage to the same woman was unlimited
in some tribes as already seen. in Mecca and perhaps elsewhere. the
husband could divorce his wife only three times. An account of this
kind of divorce is related of Ismal 11 bin Ibrahim.
1- ýAll, Vol. 5, P*5509
2. Smith, OP- Cit-@ P- 115
3. Ibid.
4. See'All, Vol. 5, P. 550
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