In Islam marriage is regarded as a civil contract between two adults, which entails an offer by one partner and acceptance by the other in the presence of two witnesses. The qāḍī, or official, usually solemnizes the marriage in a mosque, or court, or any other location. The marriage contract sets the defined rights and duties for each party. Because marriage is not a sacred union, divorce in Islam has always been permissible. Although the Qurʾānic legislation (at least in theory) on divorce aims at protecting women and allowing them to free them selves from the marital bond if it becom…