Riyadh - A statistical report issued by the Justice Ministry and carried on Saturday by Mecca daily, said there were an overall 46,300 divorce cases have been announced in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of this year (January 2018).

According to updated statistics released by the Ministry of Justice, an average of 129, divorce cases have been announced daily – that’s rate of 5 divorces per hour.

According to the ministry, Mecca has topped all provinces with 12,959 divorce cases, followed by Riyadh with had 10,740 cases and Madina with 3,505.

The ministry said during the month of December 2017, a total of 11,638 marriage contracts were concluded and 5,287 divorce deeds made. 

Commenting on the alarming figures, the ministry said the rising divorce cases represent a serious threat to the family stability and the country's social fabric.

Experts and specialists cited six main causes behind the alarming increase in divorce cases in Saudi Arabia – The husband fails to perform his religious duties toward his wife; quick response to anger; wives neglecting their marital duties; extensive use of social media tools, fueling doubts and suspicions in the heart of couples; choosing the wife according to beauty and looks without consideration for the ethics and religion; ignorance of the gradual steps for divorce consisting of patience and arbitration by other family members.

Abdullah Al-Jifin, a Shariah lecturer, urged judges not to allow divorce easily and to keep the marriage contract on for a long time so that couples might review their attitudes regarding it.

He called on educational institutions to enlighten the male and female students from an early age about the divorce fiqh (jurisprudence).

"The divorce will have an adverse effect on the children and the society at large," he said.

Bayan Zahran, a female lawyer and legal consultant, said family readiness measurement should be strictly applied on the couples before they tie the knot.

"The program of measurement of the family readiness represents a practical test for those wishing to get married," she said.

She said wives do not usually ask for divorce unless for grave reasons such as that they will suffer from the continuation of the married life, the husband not spending on them, maltreating them and the social incompatibility.

Ahlam Al-Shahrani, another female lawyer and legal consultant, believes that the intellectual incompatibility is a main cause of divorce.

She said a lack of religious deterrent and interference of other family members may be other reasons for divorce.

Shahrani asked for extensive training programs on the married life before the marriage is solemnised.