Financial uncertainty is often the most immediate fear when a marriage breaks down. Whether you are seeking fair support or facing a claim you believe is excessive, we help you reach an outcome that is realistic, lawful, and enforceable.
Under the Personal Status Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024), a wife is entitled to maintenance from her husband during the marriage — covering food, housing, clothing, medical care, and domestic service where appropriate — assessed according to the husband’s financial capacity. Following divorce, entitlements may include maintenance for the waiting period (iddah) and, where the divorce occurred without lawful cause attributable to the wife, compensatory payments determined by the court in light of the husband’s means and the circumstances of the divorce. Unpaid maintenance constitutes a debt that the court can enforce retrospectively within the limits set by law.
For non-Muslims, Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 introduced a distinctly modern alimony framework. After a civil divorce, the court assesses alimony by reference to defined factors: the length of the marriage, the age of each spouse, their financial standing, the extent of any fault contributing to the breakdown, whether either spouse sacrificed career opportunities for the family, and the interests of any children. Alimony for a former wife may cease upon remarriage, and either party may apply to vary the award if circumstances change.
The practical challenge in most cases is evidence — establishing true income, uncovering undisclosed assets, and translating financial reality into a figure the court will accept. This is where experienced representation pays for itself.
Calculate realistic maintenance and alimony entitlements based on documented financial capacity
File maintenance claims or defend against exaggerated demands
Trace income and assets where a spouse understates their financial position
Apply to increase, reduce, or terminate existing maintenance orders when circumstances change
Enforce unpaid maintenance through the execution courts, including travel bans and asset attachment
Who this applies to: Wives seeking maintenance during marriage or after divorce, husbands facing claims they consider disproportionate, non-Muslim spouses navigating the civil alimony factors, and any former spouse dealing with non-payment of an existing order.
See also: Divorce & Marital Separation · Enforcing Family Court Orders.
This page is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. All matters are handled with strict confidentiality. Law references last reviewed July 2026.
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