Secular Court-Ordered Divorces: What Modern <i>Fatāwā</i> and Canadian Imams Say

Abstract Many Canadian Muslim couples are hesitant to resort civil legal processes and attempt resolve their disputes within the religious community. Islamic law’s exclusion of non-Muslim judges from holding judicial authority in certain family law matters limits feasibility aligning commands with court orders. By extrapolating contemporary opinions ( fatāwā , sing. fatwā ) issued by institutions narrating experiences imams, this article documents views both researchers practitioners, finding that neither holds secular court-ordered divorces contested husband suffice as a form marriage dissolution. This concludes imams -issuing bodies call for development extra-judicial entities apply Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures manner recognized authorities.