Here's what women divorced through triple talaq system have to say

As the much-awaited verdict on the Muslim practice of triple talaq arrived this morning, women at the receiving end of the unfair practice are both shocked and happy. The women have welcomed the welcomed the order and now hope the government will bring out a stringent law that will allow them equal rights. mid-day spoke to three women affected by verbal 'talaq' for their reactions to the SC verdict.

Madina Sayyed

'No woman should have to face this humiliation again'
Madina Anwar Sayed - Talaq on Phone (In Golden Dupatta on head)
Powai resident, and a single mother of two, Madina Sayed was divorced over a phone call in 2014. She has been struggling to look after herself and her children ever since. Speaking to mid-day, Madina said, "Allah is with us and women like me. I have faced great humiliation and hardship all these years.

I welcome the judgement and hope there will now be a complete ban on the triple talaq system." Recalling her own talaq, she said, "I had married Anwar Hussain in the year 2008 and we had two kids. Everything was going well until 2014, when one day, he asked me to get money from my family. He continued this for a couple of days and then started to physically assault me.

I was dragged to the compound of the colony and then beaten up by my husband. His family, too, joined him in the assault. Then one day he suddenly called me over the phone and repeated 'talaq' three times. I suddenly became a single mother with no means of supporting myself. I now work as a junior artiste in movies and TV shows to earn a living and educate my children.

I sometimes have to ask my parents for help financially. My life has been runined. I welcome the judgement of the court. No woman should have to face the humiliation of being divorced over the phone or in a letter or through three words."

Zeenat Shaikh

'Want a good law from the govt now'
Zeenat Saad Shaikh- Talaq on Post (In Burkha)
Zeenat, a resident of south Mumbai, has been living with her two daughters; both teenagers, after her husband divorced her through a letter in the mail last year. On the SC judgement, Zeenat said, "A good law should now be made by the government." Recalling her own triple talaq moment, she said, "My husband, Saad Khan and I had got married in 1997.

We were happy until he started an extramarital affair. He began to drink and got into frequent arguments with me. In December 2016, he sent a photo on Whatsapp and when I downloaded it, it was a talaq nama (divorce certificate). I did not accept it since it was a one-sided talaq. He then sent it through speed post. Even this was slyly done.

The envelope mentioned the name of my husband and had the words 'electricity maintenance bill'. As there was electric wiring work going on in the building, I thought the letter was related to it. I received the letter on my husband's behalf and on opening the envelope, I found that it was the talaq nama, with the words 'talaq' written three times on it.

My husband had met a Maulana, who prepared this one-sided talaq nama and in the witness signature column, a friend of my husband had signed it."

'Was expecting a total ban from SC'
Fahim Khan - Talaq on Rs.100 Stamp Paper
Jogeshwari resident, Fahim Khan, had been married for seven years. Then in 2007, her husband came home and handed her a R-100 stamp paper on which the words 'talaq' had been written thrice as a divorce deed to Fahim. On the Supreme Court judgement, Fahim said it was unexpected.

"Women like me and may others who have gone through the triple talaq system were expecting a final judgement from the court. I was expecting a final ban on the instant talaq system. I now hope the government brings in a stringent law against triple talaq." She added, "My husband, Noor Khan, was addicted to dance bars and alcohol. In 2007, he came home one night and told me that he was getting married to a bar girl.

When I protested, he said he could marry four women and our religion permits it. He told me that you will get your haq (right). This led to a an argument and the following day, I left for my mother's house. He then brought the bar girl home, following which he sent a hand-delivered stamp paper to my mother's house saying he had given me talaq."
(Name changed as she does not wish to reveal her identity)