I am a 23 years old girl living in Melbourne, Australia. I am living here with my family ever since I was five years old. About fourteen months ago, I contracted permanent marriage with my fiancé. After sometimes, I noticed the interference of some of my in-laws and I realized a change in my fiancé's behavior towards me. The change in his behavior affected our relations awfully. Several months have passed since we have not had any communication and relation with each other. My parents have been trying to help solve our problem and bring us together with the help of my fiancé's family.
Two months ago, my family's fiancé referred to the man (Aalim) who had read the formula of marriage in the presence of more than two hundred guests. They had asked him to carry out divorce but he had refrained to do so telling them that he should speak directly to both the boy and girl. That was why the man (he who had recited the formula of marriage) contacted my father and asked him to take the boy and girl to him. My father agreed to take us to him and he contacted my fiancé's father and informed him that the Aalim wanted to see the boy and girl from close. But my fiancé's father had asked if he himself had to go and visit the cleric and my father had told him that they would not go but would let the boy and girl to meet the Aalim in person. When my father took me to the cleric's house where I had to meet my fiancé, I noticed that my fiancé had come along with his father and maternal uncle but my father had left me there alone and he had asked the man's father to let us speak with the Aalim but they did not pay heed and entered the cleric's house. So they started meddling and passing judgments about me. I was then compelled to call my father and ask him to come to the meeting because they had also come. After a few minutes, my father also arrived there and talks went on for a while. The cleric said that there was adequate reason for divorce; he asked my parents and my fiancé's to give us time and help us solve our problem. He asked my fiancé's uncle to speak to my fiancé's family and mediate between us so that the problem might be solved. Unfortunately, they made no effort toward resolving the issue nor did they contact us until two nights ago when my fiancé's father called my father and said that his daughter was free. He told my father that they had gone to the same cleric and conducted the divorce. My father was surprised hearing this. He objected to the arbitrary divorce and asked if I did not have any rights to be given and fulfilled. He stressed that he should have been informed before the divorce. He asked as to who had carried out the divorce and who the witnesses were. My fiancé's father refused to give their names and accused my father of doing business with his daughter!! Now I am requesting you to guide me in this regard. I need you to help me come of this worrying situation. My questions are: 1- Did they have the right to carry out the divorce without my permission and against the consent of my family? 2- Was it not necessary for the Aalim who conducted the divorce to seek my permission or my father's? 3- Is it not one of the conditions of divorce that the girl should not be in her monthly menses whereas, in fact, I was in my period and had a valid excuse? 4- Do I not have any rights on my husband? Am I not entitled to my dower? When the permanent marriage contract was concluded between us in front of almost 200 guests, he agreed to give me a copy of the Holy Qur'an with Uthman Taha script, fourteen branches of Muhammadi flower in the name of the fourteen Infallibles and one hundred full carat Bahar Azadi gold coins. Also, on the request of my fiancé's mother, he agreed to take me for a Hajj journey as a part of the dower. Am I deprived of having all these rights due to not having conjugal relationship with my husband? In fact, we were in the engagement period, and when my father told them that despite going twice to the House of God, my husband had not given me my right, they said that since the marriage had not been consummated and we had not had sexual intercourse, therefore, I was not entitled to anything! I await your scholarly advice in this regard. Thank you in advance.