WOMEN IN ISLAM

stay together on equitable terms or else leave her gracefully (2: 229). This method of divorce over a period of three months was devised so that considerable thought could be given to something as serious as divorce. This ensures that utterances of divorce are a planned step where all possible means of reconciliation are considered. THE ISSUE OF DIVORCE When a man and a woman bind themselves together by tying the knot of marriage, they cherish the hope of living together for the rest of their lives. Then, when nature blesses their union with a child, it strengthens the marriage bond, guaranteeing its greater depth and stability. Based on data collected in Western countries, the Encyclopaedia Britannica of 1984 confirms this with the statement that “childless couples tend to have a higher divorce rate than couples with children.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica [1984], Vol. 7, pp. 163-164) A divorce court judge in the West holds that “every little youngster born to a couple is an added assurance that their marriage will never be dissolved in a divorce court.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica [1984], Vol. 7, pp. 163-164) Despite these favourable psychological factors and natural, traditional attachments of parents and children, the rising incidence of divorce is a new and observable phenomenon in the modern world. One of the most important contributing factors is the ease with which women can make a living.