SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE PRACTICE OF POST-DIVORCE FINANCIAL GIFT (MUT’ATUL TALAQ) AMONG MUSLIMS IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study assessed the practice of post-divorce financial gift (Mut’at-al-Talaq) among Muslims in Kaduna State and 
its socio-economic impact. The study was embarked on as a result of the fact that many divorcees suffer and face a 
lot of financial difficulties while the society fail to give proper attention to how divorcees live and cope with life. Thus, 
the research aimed to ascertain the level of Kaduna State Muslims’ awareness of the ruling of post-divorce financial 
gift, assess the nature of its practice and examine its socio-economic impact among them. Survey method was adopted 
and the population was studied by sampling three local government areas which include: Makarfi, Zaria, and Kaduna 
South, dominated by Muslims and comprise of urban and rural areas, where 450 copies of questionnaires were 
distributed to divorcees, divorcers, house wife, parents and Islamic scholars. The research findings revealed that, the 
level of Kaduna state Muslims’ awareness and understanding of Islamic ruling on post-divorce financial gift is low, 
and many divorcees face financial challenges and became burden and dependent on their family member, living on a 
bare minimum, while some involve in begging and fall victims of sexual harassments due to their financial deficiency. 
The practice of giving post-divorce financial gift is rare and its practice is poor as there is prevailing ignorance and 
negligence of the teaching. This account for the misery condition of many divorcees and persist as one of the barriers 
to poverty alleviation and economic independent among the divorcees. The study recommends that more oral lecture 
should be produced by scholars on post-divorce financial gift in English and Hausa language in order to encourage 
the practice of giving post-divorce financial gift, they should also preach and admonish on the negative effects of 
divorce and create rigorous awareness and enlightenment on guardians, elders and parental role in resolving 
marriage disputes. Divorcer should consider the welfare of the divorcee and her children before and after the divorce 
and endeavor to give post-divorce financial gift.