The practice of comparing the back of one’s wife to that of one’s mother as a method of divorce was known as

The practice of comparing the back of one's wife to that of one's mother as a method of divorce is known as "zihār". In ancient Arabic culture, zihār was a way for husbands to divorce their wives without having to give a reason or pay compensation. The husband would compare his wife's back to that of his mother and say "you are to me like the back of my mother", which was considered a highly disrespectful and taboo statement. This statement effectively ended the marriage and the wife would have to leave her husband's home. Zihār was abolished in Islam with the revelation of the Quran, which provided guidelines for divorce and encouraged kind treatment of spouses.