Why does Islam permit a man the right to divorce without cause, while a woman who seeks divorce without legitimate reason is threatened with being deprived of the scent of Paradise, especially with the suspicion of injustice befalling the divorced woman after many years of marriage in terms of her financial and social rights, specifically in cases of divorce for the purpose of marrying another, knowing that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, wanted to divorce his wife Sawdah, may Allah be pleased with her, due to her age and weight?

The majority of scholars hold the view that divorce is reprehensible (makrooh) if there is no need for it, and some even consider it forbidden (haraam). Similarly, a woman's request for divorce without a valid reason is a matter on which scholars differ, between reprehensibility and prohibition. Allah has enjoined men to retain their wives even if they dislike them, as affirmed by His saying: "And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good." [An-Nisa: 19]. As for the story of Sawdah bint Zam'ah, she gifted her day to Aisha fearing that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, might separate from her due to her old age, not that he actually divorced her. The assertion that he divorced her is weak. However, divorce may be better for a woman if her continued stay with a husband who does not love her entails unbearable misery, as affirmed by His saying: "But if they separate [by divorce], Allah will enrich each from His abundance." [An-Nisa: 130].