▁the ▁Arab s ▁was ▁govern ed ▁by ▁un written ▁custom ary ▁law , ▁which ▁varied ▁according ▁to ▁region ▁and ▁tribe , ▁and ▁its ▁observ ance ▁dep ended ▁on ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁individuals ▁and ▁groups ▁involved . ▁In ▁this ▁system , ▁women ▁were ▁particularly ▁vulner able . ▁The ▁Q ur an ic ▁rules ▁of ▁marriage ▁and ▁divor ce ▁provided ▁a ▁fixed ▁set ▁of ▁norm s ▁for ▁all ▁Muslim s , ▁back ed ▁by ▁divine ▁authority ▁and ▁enfor ced ▁by ▁the ▁community . ▁The ▁early ▁Islam ic ▁re forms ▁included ▁giving ▁the ▁wife ▁a ▁possibility ▁to ▁initi ate ▁divor ce , ▁ab rog ation ▁of ▁the ▁husband ' s ▁claim ▁to ▁his ▁wife ' s ▁property , ▁condem n ation ▁of ▁divor ce ▁without ▁comp elling ▁reason , ▁criminal izing ▁unf ounded ▁claims ▁of ▁inf idel ity ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁husband , ▁and ▁institution ▁of ▁financial ▁respons ib ilities ▁of ▁the ▁husband ▁toward ▁his ▁divor ced ▁wife . ▁In ▁pre - I sl am ic ▁times , ▁men ▁kept ▁their ▁w ives ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁" lim bo " ▁by ▁contin ually ▁rep udi ating ▁them ▁and ▁taking ▁them ▁back ▁at ▁will . ▁The ▁Q ur an ▁limited ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁rep udi ations ▁to ▁three , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁man ▁cannot ▁take ▁his ▁wife ▁back ▁unless ▁she ▁first ▁mar ries ▁another ▁man . ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁pre - I sl am ic ▁b ride wealth ▁( ma hr ), ▁which ▁was ▁paid ▁by ▁the ▁gro om ▁to ▁the ▁b ride ' s