Nine reasons cited for surge in divorce cases

Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH – Al-Mawaddah Society for Family Development has identified nine major reasons for increasing number of divorce cases and family disputes in the Kingdom, according to Mohammed Al-Radi, director general of the organization.

The reasons include the couple’s lack of knowledge about Islamic teachings regarding marriage and the lack of social and educational conformity between the bride and bridegroom, which results in a dearth of respect for each other, he explained.

Other reasons are the lack of commitment to religious and moral values; continuation of education by the bride; women’s working conditions; the negative attitude of one of the couple; health issues; and not fulfilling conditions of the marriage contract.

The reconciliation and family arbitration offices at Civil Status Courts in the Makkah province, which are supervised by Al-Mawaddah, was successful in reconciling 798 couples who represent 50 percent of families that have benefited from the program.

The total number of beneficiaries reached 1,596 families with 63 percent of them being men, Al-Radi said, adding that the reconciliation endeavors took place during 2017. “I would like to emphasize that 64 percent of cases that reach Al-Mawaddah are related to family disputes,” Al-Radi said.

He said about 65 percent of people who approached the society required counseling. “We have carried out reconciliation services and family arbitration in partnership with personal status courts and criminal courts and through the society’s offices at courts,” he explained.