Newly-wed Saudi groom divorces bride after dispute over singer

Riyadh: A newly married Saudi man divorced his wife a day before their wedding celebration after a dispute over the choice of singer, local media reported on Tuesday.

The couple’s families decided to have a party shortly after the wedding. As discussions on this progressed, it was decided to hold a concert at the event. However, there was a dispute over the choice of singer to be invited for the party.

The mothers of the groom and bride were the first to quarrel with each other. With this, things got into a heated argument. Meanwhile, the situation worsened when the bride and groom also got involved in the issue, leading to their divorce, Gulf News reported.

According to Saudi justice ministry, divorce rates in Saudi Arabia have increased by 30 per cent. During the COVID-19 restriction, 13,000 people also got married, an increase of 5 percent compared to the same period during the previous year.

The ministry also received 7,482 applications for divorce and khul’, a procedure in Islam that allows a woman to divorce her husband.

The latest incident comes amid serious restrictions in Saudi Arabia, including marriages, in the light of COVID regulation. Currently, only a limited number of people are allowed to attend the ceremony.