Author Ziya Us Salam’s new release, Nikah Halala: Sleeping With a Stranger, exposes the sordid reality of instant triple talaq and fake marriages in Islam, a tradition unique to the Indian subcontinent that ends up mocking faith and punishing women for the crimes of men. An extract:

Muslim society in India remains in a state of denial when it comes to nikah halala. The Quran allows divorce twice. After that the spouses either live together happily or divorce gracefully. Nowhere does it allow marriage with a pre-arranged date of divorce to a new man only to go back to the former husband.

Nikah Halala: Sleeping with a Stranger by Ziya Us Salam is a probing exercise that exposes the cycle of instant triple talaq followed by a fake marriage, which too ends with another instant triple talaq that allows the woman to marry the former husband. While the holy book does not mention instant triple talaq, this tradition is unique to the Indian subcontinent that claims to bring squabbling couples together but ends up making a mockery of the faith and punishes women for the crimes of men.

The first-ever book to talk of the subject, Nikah Halala presents the sordid reality of mock marriages against the background of Quranic injunction on the subject and exposes the departure in practice from the teachings of the holy book that gives divorced women complete freedom to follow their path.

An extract:

Islamuddin was not one to rest on his laurels. Through one member of his growing circle of friends, he heard of a possible vacancy at a mosque in Bombay. It was at Dharavi. The friend put in a good word and Islamuddin started for Bombay. But before that, he packed off his wife and children to Sasaram. He was now single in the big, bad city. He got the job all right but found himself lost and overawed by the pace of life. It was then that an uncle of his friend, through whom he got the job, put his hand over his head. He told him about what to expect from worshippers, how people often moved out at the end of the prayer without waiting for a collective dua to begin. One day, he came up with a proposal that was to change how Islamuddin looked at his wife, his children and, indeed, Islam itself. The uncle, clearly in the late 50s, and manifestly prosperous, suggested he marry a girl. Startled, Islamuddin reminded him, ‘Aapko toh pata hai hum biwi-bachche wale hain.’ (You know, I am married with a wife and kids.)

‘I know. I am only suggesting a one-day nikah.

That is all,’ the uncle cleared the picture.

‘Is it not haram?’

‘You are like a son to me. Will I ask my son to do anything haram? This is only to help a fellow Muslim brother to save his family. You will be helping a fellow Muslim in distress,’ the uncle insisted, adding, ‘Her husband might give you some nazrana.’ (Gift.)

‘Let me speak to my wife,’ Islamuddin said.

‘What for? How will she know? If a man wants, he can keep four wives. And it is just for a day. You are a young man. Your hair has not gone grey. Your wife is sitting a thousand kilometres away...’ Uncle was not about to give up.

‘But I have no place to bring a wife here, you know that.’

‘Yes, I know. I will ask her former husband to arrange a room in the vicinity or a hotel.’ Uncle solved another problem.

Two days later, Islamuddin got married. Again. Without his wife’s knowledge or permission.

To whom?

‘I do not remember her name. She was from Vapi, I think. It was in 1991 or early 1992.’ That is all he can recall in 2019.

A day later, he divorced her. The marriage was consummated. Divorce effected faithfully.

It was to be the first nikah halala of his life. Neither before nor afterwards was he sure of the religious validity of the act.

A couple of years later, in 1994, he married another woman. ‘She was from Surat. Her husband was well-educated. He used to teach in a college in Jaipur, I remember. He came with the proposal,’ Islamuddin reveals.

‘To you directly?’

‘No, to the uncle. Nobody ever came to me directly. It was always through that uncle.’

Did uncle solemnise the nikah halala himself?

‘Who else would do it? Something like this is like charity. One hand should not know what the other has given.’

Sometime in mid-1998, Islamuddin was joined by his wife and children, effectively putting an end or at least a comma to his career as a halala husband.

‘Do not say that. It was always to help out, to protect families. Otherwise, is there a dearth of women for sex in a place like Mumbai? I left my family more than 40 years ago but never touched a girl out of wedlock.’ Fake wedlock, he might clarify. Islamuddin, as we said, always looked for avenues for growth. He learnt from another friend in Mumbai that Dubai offers much more money for the same job.

‘But for better chances to find an opening, you will have to shift to Delhi. The agents first come to Delhi. It is only if they do not get qualified people there that they go elsewhere,’ he was told.

Once again, Islamuddin packed off his wife to Sasaram; his daughter and elder son were anyway married and settled in Sasaram and Patna respectively.

Once in Delhi, he found a job first in Nizamuddin, then a little later at a small mosque in central Delhi. He was paid better, given accommodation too. Even as he waited for a Dubai opening, a halala opportunity arose.

In July 2019, a man working in the fashion industry had divorced his wife through instant triple talaq. Some three months later, he wanted her back. Once again, through word of mouth, Islamuddin was approached. This time he readily agreed.

Will you not ask your wife?

‘No, no, it is not needed.’

‘Will you charge anything for it? How much will be the mehr?’

‘Jo unke husband ki marzi ho, de dijiyega.’ (Give whatever her husband wishes.) We cannot stay here, I am old now. So the nikah will have to be solemnised some distance away. And they will have to book a room in a hotel and bear the expenses. But what about the mehr?’

‘Woh bhi humein hi dena hoga?’ (I will have to give that too?)

‘Yes, Sir. In Islam, marriage cannot be solemnised without mehr.’

‘Yes, I know. Make it Rs 500. But make it fast. I might have to go to Dubai any day. I want to finish your job before going.’

Islamuddin was a seasoned halala husband.