Mediation for Muslims: Family/Divorce Issues

 Posted on September 20, 2018 in Illinois Family Law

There are many different reasons that family law conflicts can arise in DuPage County, from one spouse’s desire to file for divorce to difficulty coming to an agreement over a parenting plan after a marriage has been dissolved. Mediation can be extremely helpful for many families and in many different legal contexts. To be sure, there are benefits to mediation that simply do not exist in a courtroom. However, it can be difficult for Muslim individuals and Muslim families to find a mediation model that fits religious and cultural values, as well as the parties’ religious and cultural upbringings.

As such, it is important to work with an experienced DuPage County family law attorney who has experience serving members of the Muslim community. At Farooqi & Husain Law Office, we are dedicated to providing compassionate and informed counsel to Muslims in Oakbrook Terrace and throughout DuPage County.

Why It Is Important to Consider Mediation for Muslims

Generally speaking, the mediation setting is never the same for every family. Indeed, the general saying ‘one size fits all’ does not apply in the mediation setting, and no mediation model advocates one strict approach for all mediations. The fact that mediation already is fluid and flexible given the needs of the parties involved can make it a particularly useful forum for Muslims who have a different approach to the largely Western legal system in Chicagoland.

The goal of any mediator is to know how to adapt to the different circumstances of each client, and a religious and cultural upbringing as a Muslim usually does require a different approach. In particular, when it comes to marital disputes and those involving the family, there are grave differences in the upbringing, traditions, and culture of the average Muslim that influence the ability of the mediator to successfully navigate a matrimonial dispute. Given the religious and cultural differences, it is important for mediators working with Muslim clients to gain an understanding of the religious, cultural, and social practices that influence family life.

Mediation — if it can be adapted in the U.S. to recognize cultural and religious values of Muslim parties — can be extremely helpful in the family law setting given that mediation is viewed as the established manner of dispute resolution within the Muslim community.

Benefits of Mediation for Muslim Families

There are many benefits to mediation for Muslim families, including but not limited to the following:

• Family matters are kept confidential, and they do not become known to the entire community (as they could in a court proceeding);
• Mediation may be able to resolve marital disputes in order to prevent contentious courtroom experiences;
• Parties can have the benefit of an unbiased, neutral, third-party mediator to help come to an agreement; and
• Mediation can be religiously and culturally sensitive, adapting to the needs of the parties in a way that the courtroom cannot.

Learn More from a DuPage County Family Law Attorney

Do you need assistance handling a family law issue? Mediation can be particularly beneficial for members of the Muslim community, and one of our experienced DuPage County family law attorneys can assist with your case. Contact Farooqi & Husain Law Office today.

Source:

https://cardozojcr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CAC315_crop.pdf