Exploring the Scholarly Conflict over the Question of Triple Talaq (Divorce) in Islamic Law with Particular Emphasis on Oman

This article explores talaq, which refers to the right of men in Islam to divorce their wives, with particular emphasis upon triple talaq. This article seeks to answer the question of how triple talaq at one time is applied in modern-day Muslim societies, in light of contemporary socio-economic conditions. The historical events surrounding the emergence of triple talaq in Islam demonstrates the possibility of its renewal in Islamic law. This is significant because it demonstrates that, contrary to the teaching of many Muslim scholars including contemporary Ibadi scholars in Oman, change and renewal are not inimical to Islam but rather intrinsic to it. I argue here that the inflexibility of Ibadi scholars regarding triple talaq at one time promotes gender inequality and discriminatory practices in Oman, especially towards women. This article begins by exploring the different methods of talaq in Islamic law. It then focuses on triple talaq at one time (in one event). The discussion of triple talaq at one time aims to explore the interaction between legal, economic and social factors, on one hand, and how these factors have affected the law of triple talaq during both pre-modern and contemporary Muslim societies. Subsequently, the article will examine how contemporary Muslim scholars react to the new social and economic factors associated with triple talaq at one time.