Islam > Gulf State Princess Triple Talaqs her cheating husband - Will it stand?

 

Dubai princess appears to divorce husband

in mysterious Instagram post

By Kathryn Mannie  Global News

Posted July 18, 2024 9:00 am

 3 min read

The daughter of Dubai’s ruler has apparently divorced her husband, according to a mysterious announcement made on her Instagram page.

Sheikha Mahrah bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, 30, is one of the youngest daughters of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as the vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There are six royal families in the UAE but the Maktoum house is one of the most high-profile as Dubai has grown into a global city. The Maktoums are one of the richest royal families in the world.

A Wednesday post from Sheikha Mahrah’s verified Instagram account claims that her husband has been “occupied with other companions.”

“I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I Divorce You. Take care. Your ex-wife,” the post reads.

Sheikha Mahrah appears to be invoking a controversial Islamic custom known as triple talaq, in which a spouse can instantly divorce their partner by declaring it three times. The practice is banned in many countries, including India, where lawmakers argued it was discriminatory towards women. Opponents of the ban say it unfairly targets Muslims.

Typically, it is husbands who invoke the triple talaq to divorce their wives. Its use by Sheikha Mahrah may provoke debate among Islamic jurists as to its legitimacy.

Sheikha Mahrah married Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, who is also a member of the Dubai royal family, in a lavish ceremony in June 2023. Shortly after, Sheikha Mahrah gave birth to their daughter, who was born in May this year.

Sheikha Mahrah appears to have removed all photos of her husband from her Instagram page. There are also no pictures of the Dubai princess on Sheikh Mana’s Instagram account.

There has been no public comment on the apparent divorce from Sheikha Mahrah’s husband or her father. The Dubai government has also not made any comment on the situation.

Some have speculated that Sheikha Mahrah’s Instagram account was hacked, but the post remains up a day after it was posted.

This is far from the first time the Dubai royal family has been embroiled in a mysterious family dispute. In 2020, a U.K. court ruled in a fact-finding judgment that Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed was responsible for the abduction and forced return of two of his daughters who fled Dubai.

In 2000, Sheikha Mahrah’s older half-sister Sheikha Shamsa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum fled their family’s U.K. estate in Surrey but was later abducted by agents of her father and forcibly returned to Dubai, where she remains in captivity. Sheikha Shamsa has not been seen in public since, 24 years later.

Sheikha Shamsa’s full sister Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made two unsuccessful attempts to flee her father in 2002 and 2018. She was imprisoned in Dubai for three years after the first escape attempt. In 2018, she attempted to flee again on the yacht Nostromo, but the ship was intercepted and she was returned to Dubai.

A #FreeLatifa campaign ended in 2021 after Sheikha Latifa was photographed in public places that year.

Pakistani Bill Seeking Enhanced Punishments for Child Sexual Abuse Rejected

IKRAM JUNAIDIUP,  DAWN

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Sub-committee on Interior on Friday rejected ‘The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2016’, which was moved after the incidents of child sexual abuse and pornography in Kasur and Swat.

Princess Mussarrat Ahmed Zeb

The bill, which was tabled by MNA Mussarrat Ahmed Zeb, says the current punishment for the crime did not match its magnitude and suggested increasing punishment for the sexual abuse of minors and child pornography.

Speaking during the committee’s meeting, Ms Zeb said that offenders should be awarded the death penalty or life imprisonment instead.

“People are not afraid of committing these crimes as the punishment for them is not more than seven years. The death penalty or life imprisonment should be awarded just like in rape cases. It is unfortunate that child pornography has become a business in which mafias are involved,” she said.

A representative of the Law Division told members that offenders are usually awarded five to seven years in prison. He said the law remains lenient for the first offence after which punishment is increased.

So the first child you destroy is sort of a freebee!

The mover of the bill says she wanted increased punishment

for the crime because child pornography has

‘become a business’ in Pakistan

The convenor of the committee, Naeema Kishwar Khan, said the bill will not be approved as punishment for the offence already exists and “it is not rape”.

A younger Princess Mussarrat Ahmed Zeb

Ms Zeb asked if a child of between seven and 11 years of age can consent to be featured in pornographic content, to which Ms Khan replied that it was the government’s job to look into the issue and not the committee’s.

Ms Zeb then walked out of the committee room in Parliament Lodges.

Talking to Dawn later, she said that MNAs were sitting in parliament not to protect the interests of the people of the country but those of their respective parties.

What she didn't say was that some of those people in their respective parties are either involved or are protecting those who are. That's my guess! When there is money and organized crime and a 3rd world country - it all fits together so nicely.

“The incident of child sexual abuse and pornography started in Kasur where over 100 cases were reported and then in Swat where over 50 cases were reported. A mafia is involved in this but it is strange that the convener of the committee was not ready to listen to my point of view and understand the sensitivity of the issue,” she said.

She said she wanted increased punishments for the crime because child pornography has become a business in Pakistan.

“I will think of alternate ways of increasing punishment for this heinous crime,” she said, adding that mafias only stop being involved in a crime if punishment for it is increased. She said crime had decreased during Ziaul Haq’s time because the punishment of flogging was introduced.

“There are children in every house and they can become victims at any time. Therefore I suggest punishment for child sexual abuse be increased,” she argued.

God bless you, MNA Zeb. Keep going! Children have no voice; if you stop speaking, there will be silence once again.