Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Raghib Hussain Naeemi emphasized that court rulings concerning marriage and its annulment must align with Sharia. This assertion follows a Supreme Court decision that allows a first wife to dissolve her marriage if her husband remarries without her consent, which Naeemi labelled un-Islamic.
During a training workshop for judges organized by the Sharia Academy, reported by The News on Saturday, Naeemi stressed that Sharia does not restrict a man’s right to a second, third, or fourth marriage.
He criticized the penalty for remarrying without the Reconciliation Council’s approval as contrary to Islamic teachings. Naeemi, with Attaullah Khilji, Director of the Sharia Academy, and a group of trainee judges who visited the CII office on Friday, reminded us that the Constitution mandates that no law should conflict with the Quran and Sunnah.
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While respecting the Supreme Court’s authority, Naeemi affirmed the CII’s right to voice religious perspectives on such legal matters. “The SC’s recent decision — an 18-page verdict issued on October 23 by a three-member bench led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah — adheres to the ‘law of the land’ but clashes with Sharia,” he stated.
The CII chairman also suggested that decreasing the occurrence of issuing three divorces at once could reduce divorce rates if penalized.
Highlighting the need for prompt justice, he pointed out that influential figures, the wealthy, and politicians often benefit from expedited legal resolutions. He emphasized the necessity of merit-based judicial appointments.
Naeemi announced plans to discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling and its implications at the CII’s next session, aiming to provide formal recommendations.
