Additional Coverage:
Sheikha Mahra Mohammed Rashed Al Maktoum, the daughter of Dubai’s ruler, has publicly declared her divorce from her husband, Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, on Instagram. On July 17, she announced the separation by repeating the phrase “I divorce you” three times in her post, followed by a farewell message identifying herself as his ex-wife.
Her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, holds significant positions as the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. The method Mahra used seems to refer to the Islamic ‘triple talaq,’ a traditional practice where a husband can divorce his wife by stating “I divorce you” three times. Although this practice is usually enacted by men and has faced bans across various Middle Eastern countries due to its controversial nature, Mahra’s use of it in her divorce announcement is an unusual twist, especially being declared via social media.
The legal standing of her Instagram divorce declaration is uncertain, yet it strongly signals her intentions to end her marriage. Commenting on the situation, activist and author Najwa Zebian emphasized the seriousness of Mahra’s decision by pointing out the significance of her repeating the divorce phrase thrice. Another commenter praised her actions as empowering for women in Islam.
Conversely, some responses were critical and reflected traditionalist views on women’s roles and rights within marriage. Mahra and Mana, who are both members of Dubai’s ruling family, got married at a grand ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Center and welcomed a daughter earlier this year. Mahra hinted at marital issues in a June Instagram post featuring her with her baby, captioned “Just the two of us.”
Initial doubts about the authenticity of the divorce post were laid to rest as it remained online for over a day and both parties removed images of each other from their Instagram and unfollowed one another. Mana has not publicly responded to the post nor commented on the separation. The UAE government has also not issued any statements regarding the matter.