- RIYADH: Jawaher, a divorced Saudi scholarship student studying in the US, lost custody of her four-year-old son when the judge ruled in favor of her ex-husband who demanded that his son does not leave the country with his ex-wife.
- Moreover, Jawaher is being denied any visitation rights.
Jawaher's mother, Nouf, who was caring for the grandson during the course of the case hearing, called Arab News to pour her heart out: "My daughter lost custody of her son Faisal and worst yet she lost the right to even visit or see him" said Jawaher's mother, a distinguished social figure and member of a human rights group.
Previously, Arab News reported that lawyer Sultan bin Zahem said the Kingdom needs specific custody bylaws in order to avoid leaving decision fully to the whims of court judges. Bin Zahem referred to a Hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told a woman who complained that her husband wanted to take her child that she was more eligible for custody than the father.
“The custody is definitely the mother’s right” said Bin Zahem.
Under Shariah, a child remains in the custody of the mother until age seven (unless she re-marries).
