A local mufti (Islamic legal expert) is accusing a fellow mufti of breaking up his marriage and ruining his life.
Mufti Nazeem Bloomberg, 51, from Mitchells Plain approached the Daily Voice to expose Mufti Ebrahim Smith, who officiated over his talaq (divorce).
Nazeem claims the talaq, which took place on 11 December, is invalid and accuses Ebrahim of proposing to his wife before the talaq took place.
“I was married to my wife for 21 years before this Mufti Ebrahim Smith came into the picture. We studied together for 10 years and he proposed to my wife before he granted the talaq,” Nazeem says.
The father of two claims the talaq is invalid as it does not follow the Islamic divorce process.
“This man has a personal vendetta against me. When he did the talaq, there was no consultation between me, as the husband, and the wife together; only my wife,” says Nazeem.
“Islamic law states when there is a talaq, there have to be witnesses - either two males or two females and a male,” he says.
“In the instance of myself and my wife, his wife and another male person were the witnesses, already making it invalid. The talaq he granted is fraudulent.”
‘DOING MY JOB’: Ebrahim Smith denies wrongdoing
Nazeem believes Ebrahim is trying to destroy his reputation.
“It’s getting out of hand. He goes around damaging my reputation. This is a talaq based on lies.
“I feel terrible about the ordeal. I’m trying to be strong, but I’m going down slowly.
“She threw me out of the house and I’m practically sleeping where I can. Sometimes I sleep in my car. He [Ebrahim] wants me out of the way so he can move in there.”
The Daily Voice contacted Mufti Ebrahim, who rubbished Nazeem’s accusations and made shocking allegations of his own.
“The talaq is valid. Nazeem legally divorced his wife in 2006,” he says. However, Nazeem says there is no proof of this.
“[Nazeem’s wife] came to me via my wife and told me she wants to talaq as he has not been intimate with her for a year and six months and he does not provide for her.
DOCUMENT: The talaq brought into question
“When I asked her about her marriage certificate [last month], she told me they had never remarried. So a learned man was living in sin. The documentation I provided for her was just as proof to have that she is legally divorced.”
He also denied having proposed to Nazeem’s former wife.
“I was never interested in his ex-wife and never proposed to her. I have warned Nazeem not to go to the Daily Voice, but to resolve this matter amicably. This is the work I do and now I am being slandered for it.”
The Daily Voice contacted the Muslim Judicial Council to inquire about the validation of the talaq papers.
However, they did not respond.