Muftis indicate critical divorce rate in Northern Caucasus

More than half of families in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) are dissolved; and up to 50% of marriages in Northern Caucasus end in divorces, the Muftis noted at a conference in Nalchik. Islamic clergymen have associated the problem with irresponsible attitude to marriage, non-observance of Islamic precepts, and domestic violence.

In the regions of Northern Caucasus, divorces make up from 47 to 50% of the number of marriages, Khadjimurat Gatsalov, Mufti of North Ossetia, cited the statistics.

"Every second family gets divorced; and if men later marry again, then women, basically, no longer get married," he said.

In Islam, the creation of a family is treated as a righteous act, said Khazretali Dzasezhev, Mufti of the KBR. In his opinion, efforts must be strained to save families.

Imran Salimov, the chief specialist of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Chechnya, said that if the couple decides to divorce on the initiative of the wife "for no good reason", she is obliged to pay compensation to her husband; if the husband is the initiator of the divorce, then, he pays.

Besides, according to Salimov, in Chechnya, after the spouses have applied to the ZAGS (civil registry office) for divorce, they are recommended to apply to the SAM for a conciliation procedure.

Let us remind you that in June 2018, Chechen authorities reported the reunion of 1500 divorced couples; however, local residents question the strength of marriages restored at the demand of authorities.