Janet Jackson Splits From Husband Wissam Al Mana Months After Having Baby

After five years of marriage, Janet Jackson and her husband, Wissam Al Mana have split up. The split comes only months after the couple had their first child, Eissa Al Mana, on January 3, 2017.

Jackson and Al Mana, a Qatari businessman, first met at a hotel opening. Two years later, they got engaged and have since kept their relationship fairly private.

While some have reported the split to amicable, others have suggested the divorce is a result of either Al Mana’s attempt to control Jackson’s pregnancy in an overbearing way or his attitude towards Jackson’s mother Katherine’s claims of elder abuse against her nephew, Trent Lamar Jackson. Concerning Katherine Jackson, the singer reportedly feels her husband has not been sympathetic.

“They’re both busy people but determined to be good parents, even if they’re apart. It’s amicable and Eissa will stay with his mother, who is basing herself in London,” a source close to the family told The Daily Mail.

Jackson had previously been married twice before – to singer James DeBarge from 1984-85, and to dancer René Elizondo Jr. from 1991-2000.

While Jackson’s previous divorces were made complicated by the money earned by the successful singer, her split from Al Mana is further complicated by her first child.

Jackson, 50, had a “difficult pregnancy” according to a source who spoke with E! News.

“She has hired help at home and her husband been with her through it all. It was a difficult pregnancy but she is very blessed and has a healthy baby. She has great doctors,” the source said.

It has been rumored that during Jackson’s marriage to Al Mana she converted to Islam. She ended her most recent post to fans on her website with the Arabic phrase, ‘alhamdulillah,’ which translates to ‘praise be to god.’

Her most recent musical release was an album titled Unbreakable although the ensuing tour was canceled due to Jackson’s pregnancy.