Help: Divorce for a woman

[Roora]

Hello, I have a question that's very important to me. In 2021, I committed Zina with a very bad man who took advantage of my naivety. I had just turned 19 in 2021 and had no contact with men, no experiences, and never intended to enter a relationship because I wasn't ready for marriage. Unfortunately, I met a man who was 7 years older than me. He identified as Muslim but didn't practice at all, lied, cheated, and committed many serious sins without ever repenting. I should mention that I wasn't very religious at that time. Religion was there, but faith wasn't. My father found out, and I was pressured to marry him due to my father's cultural beliefs. For the man, it wasn't a problem; he probably thought he had hit the jackpot by marrying me. To "make up" for my Zina, I married him (although I know that marriage doesn't undo my sin). As expected, these have been the worst 2 years of my life as he makes me extremely unhappy. Through this tough time, I've become religious and realized that I'm doing something wrong by staying with him, as he's a truly bad person with narcissistic traits. The marriage with him isn't Islamic at all, quite the opposite. I left him 6 weeks ago, and the divorce will be finalized in 3 weeks. I've initiated the legal divorce process before seeking an Islamic divorce. The problem now is that I don't know how to seek Allah's blessings for the divorce. I no longer love him despite my efforts. He has pushed me into a corner emotionally and psychologically. He won't initiate talaq, and I don't know if I'm allowed to marry again in this way. I was never informed, and I have no one to turn to. Can you tell me how I can obtain an Islamic divorce? Best regards.

[Alpha Dude]

Assalamu Alaykum,

I believe there is a process known as Khula where a married woman can request divorce in exchange for money, e.g. perhaps the mahr amount. I think it might be good for you to visit a mosque or Islamic institution near where you live and ask for specific guidance on this matter.