Khul: Local contours of a global phenomenon

Abstract

This special issue of Islamic Law and Society takes a close look at contemporary manifestations of an Islamic divorce procedure known as khul. Studying khul is not an easy matter, in large part because it is not exactly clear what khul is. Is khul consensual or non-consensual, judicial or extrajudicial, fault or no-fault based? Does khul result in alāq (unilateral repudiation by a husband), or is it an entirely different form of divorce? Is khul initiated by wives or by husbands? As we will explain below, the answer to all of these questions is "yes," as khul is all of these things.