Mobile phone text message, or SMS, divorce could become a reality, even after widespread rejection by Arabs and Muslims when the idea first surfaced a few years back in Egypt. Religious authorities in Dubai confirmed last month that a Muslim divorce can be carried out via a mobile phone text message. The UAE’s Grand Mufti, Ahmed Al Haddad, who issued a fatwa on the subject, noted to Khaleej Times: "Islamic scholars disagreed over the way divorce can be written."

According to Al Haddad, while some believe that putting a divorce in writing is equivalent to verbally announcing it, others feel a divorce must be documented in writing and can only be applied when there is intention and when it is read aloud.

Al Haddad said he believed an Islamic judge or "mufti" is able to judge a divorce case filed via a mobile phone SMS by choosing between both petitioning parties’ opinions to determine what is most appropriate given the couple’s circumstances. "Divorce through this modern way is not different from using a pen and a paper," he said.

According to human rights activist, Abdulnabi Al Ekri, since Al Haddad bravely accepted such an unconventional method of divorce, others might follow in his footsteps. This could spell chaos for the Islamic world by neglecting the strong bond and holiness of marriage.

“Such means of divorce shouldn’t be accepted as even simple agreements between individuals or companies can’t be terminated through mobile massages, so how can men be allowed to break up their families with such a tool,” Al Ekri said.

He said that many Arab and Islamic countries have stopped accepting the tradition of men ending their marriages by saying the word “divorce” three times to their wives. Divorce is only acknowledged when done in front of a judge, for the protection of the rights of women and their children.

“If such a practice were approved then many dangerous circumstances might happen and is against Islamic principles as the religion doesn’t accept humiliation to women,” Al Ekri said.

Islamic researcher, Shahnaz Rabiee, also condemned the fatwa and said that the decision isn’t acceptable to women and all family members.

“Marriage happens when man and women agree to spend their lives together, so divorce occurs when the couple decides to separate,” she said.

Divorce by text message is not acceptable as wives should be respected and treated with dignity they deserve, Shahnaz said.

Including mobile messages as a viable means of divorce may be far from a widespread reality at the moment, but it might become acceptable if some scholars are allowed to pass such fatwa.