Saudi Gazette Divorce rates in Saudi Arabia are extremely high and 35 percent of all marriages end up in divorce. Dr. Khalid Bin Saud Al-Hlaibi, Director of the Family Welfare Development Foundation and professor at the Shariah and Islamic Studies University in Al-Ahsa mapped out the divorce rates in the Kingdom's major cities. The divorce rate is the highest in Jeddah, a shocking 60 percent, which means one in two couples will break up. This is followed by 39 percent in Riyadh, 20 percent in Dammam, and 18 percent in Al-Ahsa, according to Dr Al-Hlaibi's report. These numbers translate into the calculation that 33 Saudi women get divorced daily. These disturbing facts were the impetus behind last Friday's sermon in Riyadh by Shaikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, Grand Mufti of the Kingdom. In his speech before Friday prayers, the Grand Mufti urged families and relatives of struggling couples to help them reconcile and find solutions to their problems, rather than exacerbating the problems. He mentioned that the wife's family members are often too quick in resorting to divorce. Instead, her family should help by calming her down, encouraging slow deliberation, and deep thinking before deciding to end the marital relationship. The scholar added, “In most cases, when the couple re-examines the problem in a peaceful state of mind, they realize that they were arguing for silly reasons that are no grounds for divorce.” In his view, the most common factors for the high divorce rates in the Kingdom are family interference and the fact that some men enter marriages lacking maturity and a strong sense of responsibility. Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh reminded men that Islam has made it obligatory for men to provide their wives with proper housing, clothing, and adequate nutrition in addition to financial support for their children. The scholar also advised women to take into consideration the financial status of her husband and to refrain from demanding what is beyond her husband's capability. The social worker warned every woman against comparing her husband to other men, such as her sister's or neighbor's husband. This may psychologically hurt him and he may become resentful if he is constantly put down and repeatedly told that others' husbands are more generous. Nabila Fawzi, a social worker who has 16 years of experience in marriage counseling and currently works at the International Medical Center told Saudi Gazette that interference from family on both sides usually makes marital disputes worse. The most common complaint that she has heard from women facing challenges is that their husbands fail to change their lifestyle habits after marriage. For example, some men go out with their friends after work every night and do not return until after midnight. Another common complaint is that men who marry working women do not spend money on their wives. Some expect their wives to purchase personal and even household items from their own salaries. There is no harm in helping each other out, but the wife must not be forced to pay for living expenses. Nabila advised all couples to keep in mind the two ways mentioned in the Holy Qur'an for making their marriages successful. “Allah said that the relationship should be built on compassion and mercy. “Always help your partner, pray for him/her from your heart, and treat him/her with kindness and respect to make your marriage last forever,” she said. __
