Is a woman entitled to seek khulʿ (divorce at the wife's instance) after returning to her family's home twice and the cessation of marital relations for over a year? And must she return the full mahr (dowry) or half of it? And what are the rulings and procedures for khulʿ?
A man's proposal of marriage to a married woman is a grave evil and is not permissible in Islamic law. If a woman is harmed by her husband, she has the right to seek a divorce due to harm. However, if she dislikes him without any harm, she can seek a khul' (divorce initiated by the wife) by mutual agreement for compensation, and it is not necessary for it to be half or all of the mahr (dowry). He may also divorce her without any compensation.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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