The drama Kafeel is a beautifully written story that highlights the struggles in a woman’s life—struggles that may seem very ordinary to the rest of the world, yet a woman spends her entire life battling them.

The recent episode was exceptional. In it, Zeba appears before a judge to seek khula (divorce). The judge, who is herself a woman, tells Zeba to reconsider, saying that the case does not seem strong enough. She points out that Zeba’s husband does not physically abuse her and is not of bad character, and questions whether ending a 24-year marriage solely because he does not provide for her and their children is a sufficient reason.

However, through her powerful character, Zeba conveys a profound truth: a husband is not only “bad” if he is abusive or immoral. The episode emphasizes an important point—that marriage fundamentally stands on the principle of kifalat (provision and responsibility).

If a woman has not complained for 24 years, it does not mean she never had any grievances or that she should continue to live the rest of her life the same way. A man’s selfishness, irresponsibility, and greed can also be valid reasons for the failure of a marriage.

Our religion teaches us this clearly: the responsibility of earning and providing lies with the man. He is made the kafeel (guardian/provider) of the woman—not just financially, but emotionally as well. After marriage, it is the husband’s duty to take care of all her expenses; this responsibility has been assigned to him by Allah.

Yet many women are deprived of this right. The real tragedy is that some are not even aware of this deprivation—or perhaps they are aware, but due to societal pressures, they remain silent and continue to live a life of quiet suffering.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)