印度最高院判穆斯林三遍塔拉克式离婚违宪
印度最高法院的一项裁决禁止了穆斯林一种有争议的做法，即男子说三遍“塔拉克”(talaq，休妻的意思)就可立即离婚。这一裁决增进了妇女权益，但一些人担心它将让穆斯林与在印度占多数的印度教徒之间的关系更为紧张。
Judges ruled on Tuesday that “instant triple talaq” — which allows Muslim men to divorce their wives by saying “talaq, talaq, talaq” — was illegal under the Indian constitution. Hindu men do not have the same rights and must prove in court that their wives have wronged them to be granted a divorce.
印度最高法院法官周二裁定，穆斯林男子说三遍“塔拉克”就可立即休妻的做法违反印度宪法。男性印度教徒并不享有这种权利，他们必须在法庭上证明他们的妻子对不起他们才能获准离婚。
The issue has divided Indians and even attracted the attention of Narendra Modi, the country’s Hindu nationalist prime minister, who last week argued that a ban would be a “significant step towards women’s empowerment”.
这个问题在印度人中引发了分歧，甚至引起了印度总理、印度教民族主义者纳伦德拉•莫迪(Narendra Modi)的关注。上周莫迪提出，禁止穆斯林这一做法将是“迈向女性赋权的重大一步”。
It has also got to the heart of India’s identity as an independent country, whose secularist foundations are limited by extensive protections for minorities to practice “personal law”.
这个问题也触及独立后印度国家认同的核心——世俗化是印度的建国基础，而少数群体在践行“属人法”方面享有的大量保护制约了这一基础。
The practice of instant divorce is already banned in more than 20 Muslim-majority countries, including India’s neighbour Pakistan.
已经有20多个人口以穆斯林为主的国家禁止了这种“立即休妻”的做法，其中包括印度的邻国巴基斯坦。
The five-member panel of supreme court judges was as split as the rest of the country, with two arguing that the right to divorce by triple talaq counted as part of Muslims’ right to practice their religion.
由五名最高法院法官组成的小组与其他印度人一样意见不统一，其中两名法官主张，说三遍“塔拉克”即可休妻的权利，构成穆斯林践行宗教信仰的权利的一部分。
The other three members disagreed. Kurian Joseph, one of the judges, said: “It is extremely difficult to agree . . . that triple talaq is integral to practice of Islam.” The court said the ban will stay in place to allow time for the government to legislate, and if the government does not do so, the ban will be extended.
另外三名法官不这样认为。其中一名法官库里安•约瑟夫(Kurian Joseph)表示：“很难认同……说三次“塔拉克”即可休妻是伊斯兰宗教实践的必要组成部分。”印度最高法院表示，禁令将在一段时间内有效，以留出时间给政府制定相关法律，如果政府不制定相关法律，禁令有效期将会延长。
Muslim women’s right groups who brought the case welcomed the ruling. Shayara Bano, one of the petitioners and the first woman to challenge instant triple talaq in an Indian court, said: “I welcome the verdict and support it. This is a historic day for Muslim women.”
提起这次诉讼的穆斯林女性权利组织对这个裁决表示欢迎。其中一名上诉人、首位在印度法庭上质疑说三次“塔拉克”即可休妻做法的沙亚拉•巴诺(Shayara Bano)说：“我欢迎并支持这个裁决。这对穆斯林女性是有历史意义的一天。”
Others argued that a ban would bolster secularism at a time when the ruling Bharatiya Janata party was looking to inject more Hindu orthodoxy into the country’s laws and public life.
其他人认为，在执政的印度人民党(Bharatiya Janata party)寻求向印度的法律和公共生活注入更多印度教正统色彩之际，这样一条禁令将为世俗主义提供支撑。
Pratap Bhanu Mehta, the president of the Centre for Policy Research, wrote before the judgment: “The triple talaq hearing is an opportunity for the supreme court to finally remove some jurisprudential cobwebs that have enveloped constitutional secularism in India. The court has a wonderful opportunity to undo this constitutional nonsense.”
印度智库“政策研究中心”(Centre for Policy Research)的总裁普拉塔普•巴努•梅赫塔(Pratap Bhanu Mehta)在印度最高院作出裁决前写道：“对最高法院而言，审理说三遍“塔拉克”即可休妻一案，是清除长期拖累印度宪法世俗主义的一些法理沉疴的机会。最高法院有一个绝佳的机会来纠正这一宪法中的荒唐之处。”
Others worry that the ruling will generate further tension between India’s Hindu majority and sizeable Muslim minority.
另一些人担忧，该裁决会让印度教徒与穆斯林之间的关系更为紧张。印度教徒占印度人口多数，作为少数群体的穆斯林的人数也很可观。
Already many Muslims feel under pressure from Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist supporters, with religious attacks on the rise, and some argue that they have been unfairly singled out by the triple talaq case.
已经有很多穆斯林感受到来自莫迪的印度教民族主义支持者的压力，宗教袭击抬头，一些人认为，说三遍“塔拉克”即可休妻一案有意针对他们，是不公平的。
The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board had argued that a ban would undermine Muslims’ constitutional right to practice “personal law”. The organisation said on Tuesday it would study the judgment, but added: “What will happen to those Muslim women who even after judgment will accept talaq?”
全印穆斯林属人法委员会(All-India Muslim Personal Law Board)主张，该禁令将削弱穆斯林践行“属人法”的宪法权利。周二该组织表示将研究这一判决，但它补充道：“那些在判决后依然接受‘塔拉克’式离婚做法的穆斯林女性会怎样?”
Kirti Singh, a lawyer who wrote a book on the economic status of women in India after separation or divorce, said: “I welcome this ruling, it upholds the constitutional clause which says that every woman should have equal rights.”
律师基尔提•辛格(Kirti Singh)著有一本探讨分居或离婚后印度女性经济地位的著作，他表示：“我欢迎这一裁决，它维护了‘每位女性都享有同等权利’的宪法条款。”
But she criticised Mr Modi’s party for championing this cause and not the rights of Hindu women. “The [ruling] Bharatiya Janata party does not really care about women’s rights.
但她批评莫迪所在的印度人民党支持这项事业，却不支持印度教女性的权利。“(执政的)印度人民党并不真正关心女性的权利。
“If they did, they might do something to tackle ‘honour killings’ of Hindu women in mixed relationships, or the fact that Hindu women are treated as secondary citizens.”
“如果他们真的关心，他们可能会采取一些行动来制止印度教女性遭‘荣誉谋杀’，或者让印度教女性不再被视为二等公民。”
