the study on the administration of practices of ancillary matters after divorce under kadhis‟ courts

24 Pages·2014·0.55 MB·English

THE STUDY ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF
PRACTICES OF ANCILLARY MATTERS AFTER
DIVORCE UNDER KADHIS‟ COURTS IN
ZANZIBAR

BY

MWINYI TALIB HAJI

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law

Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws
International Islamic University
Malaysia

MARCH 2013
ABSTRACT

The objective of this thesis is to analyse the administration of ancillary matters after
divorce in the Kadhis‟ Courts in Zanzibar. This study examines the current law and
practice in administering ancillary matters among the parties after divorce. In this
respect, this study details many cases which prove that there is no proper provisions
and procedure which guide the Kadhis‟ Courts towards the proper administration of
ancillary matters after divorce. The study analyses the current administration of
ancillary matters after divorce in the Kadhis‟ Courts with the aim of identifying the
strengths and weaknesses of the present law. This study showed the shortcomings in
the administration of these matters before the Kadhis‟ Courts. Thus, the decided cases
collected from these courts prove to be significant in demonstrating the current
practices on the administration of these matters. A qualitative method which involves
unstructured interview, observation and collection of cases techniques was also
adopted. Again, a comparative study with other jurisdictions particularly Malaysia has
immensely contributed to this study. This study revealed that, though under Islamic
law the administration of ancillary matters after divorce is very crucial and need
special considerations, in Zanzibar, the Kadhis‟ Courts have no proper procedure and
mechanism to administer these matters. Thus, failure of having the comprehensive
provisions has caused many weaknesses and loopholes in the present administration of
Kadhis‟ Courts in dealing with ancillary matters in Zanzibar. Though there is a clear
involvement of the court on the issue of deferred mahr but the procedures and
enforcement measures in acquiring this right is still questionable. The study has also
shown that there is need to incorporate particular provisions within the Kadhis‟ Courts
Act which will not only extend the jurisdiction of these courts but also guide Kadhis
on administering ancillary matters that accrue after divorce. Due to the notable
outcomes of the major reforms which have taken place in Malaysia towards the
administration of Islamic family law including the administration of ancillary matters
after divorce under Sharī’ah Courts, its model has been adopted as a springboard for
the intended reform in the Kadhis‟ Courts in Zanzibar. It is evidenced from the
decided cases that, the proper administration of ancillary matters in Malaysia is not
only the result of proper provisions dealing with the matters but also the effective case
management under the Sharī’ah Courts. However, careful considerations have been
taken to ensure that the proposed reform suits the local circumstances, while at the
same time, emphasis is given on the need to re-orientate the society as well as the
Kadhis on how to deal with the cases involving the administration of ancillary matters
among the parties after divorce. Therefore, taking into consideration the Malaysian
model, the study has proposed particular provisions to be incorporated in the Kadhis‟
Courts Act in order to ensure the proper administration of ancillary matters after
divorce in Zanzibar.

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ثحبلا صخلم

سرديف .رابنجز في ةيللمحا ةاضقلا مكامح في قلاطلل ةيعبتلا روملأا ةلجاعم ليلتح وى ةحورطلأا هذى فدى
،ددصلا اذى في .قلاطلا بقع فارطلأل ةيعبتلا روملأا ةلجاعم في وقيبطتو ليالحا نوناقلا ثحبلا اذى
دشرت ةبسانمو ةددمح تاءارجإو ماكحأ دوجو مدع تبثت تيلا تلاالحا نم ديدعلا ةساردلا هذى درست
قلاطلل ةيعبتلا روملأل ةيلالحا ةلجاعلما ةساردلا لّلَتحو .قلاطلا بقع ةيعبتلا روملأا ةرادإ في ةاضقلا مكامح

تلاالحاف ،اذكىو .ليالحا نوناقلا في فعضلاو ةوقلا نطاوم ىلع فرعتلا فدبه ةاضقلا مكامح في
ّ

دقو .لئاسلما هذى ةلجاعم في ةيلالحا تاسراملما حوضوب رهظُت مكالمحا هذى نم اهعجم تم تيلا ةرر قلما
ةظحلالماو ،ةلكيهلما يرغ ةلباقلما لمشي يذلا يعونلا ثحبلا ةقيرط ةساردلا هذى تدمتعا

ةيزيلالما اميس لا ىرخلأا ةيئاضقلا تائيلها عم ةنراقلما ةساردلا ،ًاضيأو .تلاالحا بيلاسأ عجمو

نوك نم مغرلا ىلع ونأ ةساردلا هذى تفشكو .ةساردلا هذى في يربك لكشب تهماس

تارابتعا لىإ جاتتحو ةيهملأا غلاب ً ار مأ ةيملاسلإا ةعيرشلا بسح قلاطلا دعب ةيعبتلا روملأا ةلجاعم

.لئاسلما هذى ةلجاعلم ةبسانلما تايللآاو تاءارجلإا اهيدل تسيل رابنجز في ةاضقلا مكامح نأ لاإ ةصاخ

نطاوم نم ديدعلا نع ةلماش و ةددمح ةينوناق ماكحأ دوجو مدع رفسأ دق ،لياتلابو
.
مغرلا ىلع رابنجز في ةيعبتلا لئاسلما عم لماعتلا في ةاضقلا مكالمح ةيلالحا ةرادلإا في تارغثلاو فعضلا

في ذافنلإا يربادتو تاءارجلإا نأ لاإ لجؤلما رهلما ةيضق نأش في ةمكلمحا نم حضاو لخدت دوجو نم

جاردإ لىإ ةجاح كانى نأ اضيأ ةساردلا ترهظأ دقو .لؤاست عضوم لازي لا قلحا اذى ىلع لوصلحا

دشتُس اضيأو لب مكالمحا هذى صاصتخا طقف عسوت نل تيلا ةاضقلا مكامح نوناق في ةصاخ ماكحأ
ُ ُ

قلاطنا ةطقنك يزيلالما جذومنلا دامتعا تم .قلاطلا دعب لصتح تيلا ةيعبتلا روملأا ةلجاعم في ةاضقلا

تاحلاصلإل ةسومللما جئاتنلا ببسب كلذو رابنجز في ةاضقلا مكامح في دوصقلما حلاصلإا ةيلمعل
قلاطلا دعب ةيعبتلا روملأا ةرادإ كلذ في ابم يملاسلإا ةرسلأا نوناق ةرادإ في ايزيلام اهتققح تيلا ةيسيئرلا
ايزيلام في ةيعبتلا لئاسملل ةميلسلا ةلجاعلما نأب اهيف ت ب تيلا تلاالحا نم ىلجتيو .ةيعرشلا اهمكامح في
ُ
تلااحلل ةلاعفلا ةرادلإا في اضيأ نكلو روملأا عم لماعتلا في ةبسانمو ةددمح ماكحلأ ةجيتن طقف تسيل
دوشنلما حلاصلإا نأ نم دكأتلل ةيانعب تارابتعلاا ذاتخا تم دقف ،كلذ عمو .ةيعرشلا مكالمحا لظ في
عمتلمجا ويجوت ةداعإ لىإ ةجالحا ىلع زيكتُلا متي ،وسفن تقولا في امنيب ،ةيللمحا عاضولأا عم بسانتي
دعب فارطلأا ينب ةيعبتلا روملأا ةلجاعبم ةقلعتلما اياضقلا عم لماعتلا ةيفيك لوح ةاضقلا نع لاضف
نوناق في اهجاردلإ ةددمحو ةنيعم ماكحأ ةساردلا تحتُقا ،يزيلالما جذومنلا رابتعا ىلع ءانبو .قلاطلا
ً

.رابنجز في قلاطلا دعب ةيعبتلا روملأل ةلجاعلما يرس نسح نامض لجأ نم ةاضقلا مكامح
َ
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APPROVAL PAGE

The thesis of Mwinyi Talib Haji has been examined and is approved by the following:

_____________________________
Mahamad Arifin
Supervisor

_____________________________
Norliah Ibrahim
Co-supervisor

_____________________________
Roslina Che Soh
Internal Examiner

_____________________________
Mohd Na‟im Mokhtar
External Examiner

_____________________________
Mohamad Fauzan Noordin
Chairman

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where
otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently
submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Mwinyi Talib Haji

Signature ………………….. Date ……………………............

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INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION

OF FAIR USE OF UNPU BLISHED RESEARCH

Copyright © 2013 by Mwinyi Talib Haji. All rights reserved.

THE STUDY ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRACTICES OF

ANCILLARY MATTERS AFTER DIVORCE UNDER KADHIS’ COURTS IN

ZANZIBAR

No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any mean s, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without prior writ ten permission of the copyright holder
except as provided below.

1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research

may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.

2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies
(print or electronic) for institut ional and academic purposes.

3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval

system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by

other universities and research libraries.

Affirmed by Mwinyi Talib Haji.

………………………… ..……………….

Signature Date

vi
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
This dissertation is dedicated to my dear parents, Mr. Talib Haji Jecha and Mrs.
Maua Mwinyi Haji.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All praise be to Allah S.W.T. by whose infinite Mercy and Guidance for being able to
complete this thesis attributing all to His blessings. First of all, I owe my supervisor,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahamad Arifin, gratitude for his guidance and advice throughout
my studies. His diligence, analytical competence and constructive critical observations
served as an inspiration to me and play a pivotal role in producing the thesis in its
present form. I also express my most sincere appreciation to my co-supervisor Dr.
Norliah Ibrahim for her encouragements, supports, and professional insights in
directing me along this journey. My limitless gratitude also goes to the Administration
of the International Islamic University Malaysia for given the opportunity to complete
my program. My acknowledgements would be incomplete without extend my thanks
to all lecturers and staff of Kulliyyah of Laws for their helps and supports throughout
my studies.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to the Dārul Imān Charitable Organisation
and Zanzibar University for their financial assistance of this study from November
2009 to June 2012. To this effect, I take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks
and gratitude to Prof. Dr. Mustafa A. A. Roshash, Vice-Chancellor of Zanzibar
University for his scholarly patronage, appreciation and concern for intellectual
attainment and development of human resources that inspired us to aspire for the
optimum height of academic excellence.
I would like to acknowledge many people who were helpful to me during the
research, study and the fieldwork. First and foremost I wish to express my deep
gratitude to the Registrar of Zanzibar High Court, Office of Registrar General,
Archives‟ Department, Office of Chief Kadhi and all selected Kadhis‟ Courts in
Zanzibar for the cooperation in giving me all the necessary information I needed in
completing my doctoral thesis.
For their suggestions and encouragement, I wish to record my appreciation to
my friends and colleagues, especially Mr. Mahmoud Abdulwahab Alawi, Advocate
Omar Mmad Mwarab, Mr. Yahya Khamis Hamad, Mr. Masoud Rashid Mohamed,
Hon. Issa Haji Ussi (Gavu), Mr. Abdulrahman Mohammed Dedes, and Mr. Rashid
Aziz Mukky. I take this opportunity to express my profound thanks to Dr. Ben O.
Emikpe for his assistance in editing work.
My utmost gratitude is to my father Talib Haji Jecha and my mother Maua
Mwinyi Haji for their encouragements, enormous support and constant love. They
have jointly been the source of inspiration that propels me to work harder. Their
guidance made me reach my goal of higher education. I also want to express my
heartfelt gratitude to my brother Haji Talib Haji for his supports all the while.
Last but not least to my dearest wife Fatma Omar Ali. I would like to express
my deepest and most profound emotional appreciation to her during the period of my
doctoral research, along with her endless support for my academic pursuits. I am most
grateful for her unstinting belief, understanding, tolerance and emotional
encouragement throughout the writing process. Without her support, none of this
would have been possible. May Allah reward you abundantly and grant you success in
your academic career too. To you all, I conclude by beseeching Allah to reward you:
Jazākumullahu khairan fī al-dunyā wa al-ākhirah!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract .................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract in Arabic .................................................................................................... iii
Approval Page .......................................................................................................... iv
Declaration Page ...................................................................................................... v
Copyright Page ......................................................................................................... vi
Dedication ................................................................................................................ vii
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. viii
List of Tables ........................................................................................................... xiii
List of Figures .......................................................................................................... xiv
List of Cases ............................................................................................................. xv
List of Statutes ......................................................................................................... xx
List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................... xxii
Translitaration .......................................................................................................... xxiii

CHAPTER 1: STATEMENT OF INTENT AND METHODOLOGY ............. 1
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................ 1
1.1 Objectives of the Study ......................................................................... 7
1.2 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................... 7
1.3 Research Questions ............................................................................... 8
1.4 Scope and Limitation of the Study ........................................................ 8
1.5 Research Methodology.......................................................................... 10
1.6 Literature Review .................................................................................. 15

CHAPTER 2: EVOLUTION OF KADHIS’ COURTS IN ZANZIBAR .......... 28
2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................ 28
2.1 Zanzibar in General Perspective ............................................................ 28
2.2 General Overview on Zanzibar Legal System ....................................... 31
2.3 Historical Background of Kadhis‟ Courts in Zanzibar .......................... 35
2.4 The Establishment of Kadhis‟ Courts and Its Position .......................... 43
2.4.1 Zanzibar Constitution of 1984 ..................................................... 43
2.4.2 High Court Act No. 2 of 1985 ...................................................... 50
2.4.3 Kadhis‟ Courts Act No. 3 of 1985 ............................................... 52
2.5 Power and Jurisdiction of Kadhis‟ Courts ............................................. 53
2.6 Rule of Evidence and Procedure Applied in the Kadhis‟ Courts ........... 56
2.7 Appointment and Qualifications of Kadhis ............................................ 65
2.7.1 Appointment of Kadhi, Chief Kadhi and Deputy Chief Kadhi .... 67
2.7.2 Qualifications of Kadhis .............................................................. 68
2.8 Hierarchy of Appeals under Kadhis‟ Courts .......................................... 72
2.8.1 Appeals from District Kadhis‟ Court to the High Court .............. 72
2.8.2 The Preclusion of Tanzania Court of Appeal ............................... 77
2.9 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 82

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CHAPTER 3: GENERAL OVERVIEW ON DIVORCE IN ZANZIBAR ....... 84
3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................ 84
3.1 The Trend of Divorce Rate in Zanzibar ................................................. 84
3.2 Reasons for the Increasing Rate of Divorce in Zanzibar ....................... 89
3.2.1 Life Difficulties ............................................................................ 90
3.2.2 Drunkenness ................................................................................. 91
3.2.3 Lack of Pre-Marriage Education .................................................. 93
3.2.4 Failure of the Parents to Play Their Role ..................................... 95
3.3 Divorce for Muslims as practiced in Zanzibar ....................................... 97
3.3.1 Talāq i.e. Repudiation by the Husband ........................................ 112
3.3.2 Divorce by Judicial Decree .......................................................... 128
3.3.2.1 Khulu’ i.e. Divorce by Redemption ................................... 128
3.3.2.2 Fasakh (Judicial Annulment) and its Grounds .................. 145
3.3.2.3 Misinterpretation made by Kadhis on Fasakh and
Khulu’ ............................................................................................ 159
3.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 162

CHAPTER 4: ADMINISTRATION OF ANCILLARY MATTERS
UNDER KADHIS’ COURTS IN ZANZIBAR .................................................... 164
4.0 Introduction ........................................................................................... 164
4.1 Mahr or Dower ....................................................................................... 164
4.1.1 The Concept of Mahr in Islam ..................................................... 164
4.1.2 Position of Deferred Mahr ........................................................... 172
4.2 Recovery of Deferred Mahr as Practiced in Zanzibar .................... 174
4.2.1 Awareness of the Parties .............................................................. 176
4.2.2 Mechanism used in Kadhis‟ Courts ............................................. 178
4.3 Maintenance and Residence during „Iddah ............................................ 183
4.3.1 Position of Maintenance of Wife in Islam ................................... 183
4.3.2 Islamic Perception on Maintenance and Residence during
„Iddah .................................................................................................... 185
4.3.3 The issues of Maintenance and Residence as Perceived in
Zanzibar................................................................................................. 192
4.3.3.1 Awareness of the Parties .................................................... 192
4.3.3.2 Involvement of Kadhis‟ Courts .......................................... 195
4.4 Mut’ah or Consolatory Gift .................................................................... 197
4.4.1 The Concept of Mut’ah in Islam .................................................. 198
4.5 Mut’ah as Practiced in Zanzibar ............................................................ 200
4.5.1 Awareness of the Parties .............................................................. 200
4.5.2 Involvement of Kadhis‟ Courts .................................................... 201
4.6 Distribution of Matrimonial Property .................................................... 202
4.6.1 The Concept of Property and Its Ownership in Islam .................. 203
4.6.2 The Purpose of Dividing the Matrimonial Property .................... 207
4.7 Distribution of Matrimonial Property as Practiced in Zanzibar ............. 210
4.7.1 Awareness of the Spouses ............................................................ 212
4.7.2 Involvement of Kadhis‟ Court on Administering Matrimonial
Cases ..................................................................................................... 215
4.8 The Law and Procedures applied by Kadhis‟ Courts in administering
Ancillay Matters ........................................................................................... 220
4.9 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 223
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