Saturday | 27 April 2024 | 18 Shawaal 1445

Fatwa Answer

Question ID: 1798 Category: Marriage and Divorce
Divorce case

Salam walaiqum,

I have a concern regarding validity of Talaq. 

Me and my wife got into a huge fight/argument and it was then I said the WORD. "that I give you ". This was 4 days before ramadan.

After a week into ramadan, this argument and fight really bad, I working from home and my mother was arguing and so was my wife, and I was so angered that I had no idea as to what was coming out of my mouth. Then again I said the second time the WORD. 

My question is that I know during the time of Umar R.A, the rule was created that 3 means 3, in one sitting and or different occations. I have also heard the standings of Ibn Taymiyyah regarding 3 meaning 1. I have also heard that each talaq is done in 3 menstrual cycle. 

Now having said that, I would like to know what is the stance on my divorce, is it considered one or two?

Jazakallah 

Thank you

بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم

الجواب وباللہ التوفیق: 

Per your details, two divorces have been executed on your behalf, and both are revocable. Now during her waiting period “Iddat”, you can approach and reconcile with your wife  

The best way to revoke divorce is for the husband to announce it in front of two witnesses that “I reconcile with my wife”. By this statement alone, the wife will return into married status. It is however not necessary to have witnesses on this announcement. The wife can flawlessly be reunited in marriage bond if the husband fondles and kisses her 

But, if the “iddah” period has passed without that recourse, the wife will be excluded from marriage bond. However, if the husband desires to reunite after the elapse of her waiting period, there is still a window of opportunity for remarriage through a new marriage contract, two witnesses and a fresh dowry 

It must be noted that, whether you have reconciled with your wife during the “Iddah” period or have entered a new marriage contract after the elapse of “Iddah” period, in both cases you remain the owner of only one further divorce. One more divorce from you, will result in three divorces on the wife, which will permanently break up the marriage bond between both of you, and you both shall become strangers to each other. So, you need to be careful in this regard in future 

As for your next comment, it is erroneous to say that the rule of counting three divorces when announced three times, was adopted during  the time of Hazrat Umar (RA). In Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Hazrat Sahl bin Saad (RA) that he gave three divorces to his wife in front of the Prophet of Allah (SAW) and he (SAW) enforced three divorces 

عن سهل بنِ سعد، في هذا الخبرِ، قال: فطلَّقها ثلاثَ تطليقاتٍ عندَ رسولِ الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلم-، فأنفذه رسولُ الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلم- (سنن ابی داود: ۲۲۵۰۔سنن نسائی: ۱۵۳۲۲) إسناده صحيح۔۔(صحیح بخاری: ۴۹۵۹)

قال اللہ تعالیٰ: الطلاق مرتان ۔(البقرہ :۲۲۹)

واذا طلق الرجل امرأتہ تطلیقۃ رجعیۃ او تطلیقتین فلہ ان یراجعھا فی عدتھا رضیت بذلک اولم ترجی۔(الہدایہ: ۲؍۳۹۴) ، (الفتاویٰ الہندیہ: ۱؍۴۷۳ 

عن ابن عباسؓ قال: کان الطلاق علی عھد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ وسلم وابی بکر و سنتنی من فلانہ عمرؓ طلاق القلات واحدۃ، فقال عمرؓ ان الناس  قداستعجلوا فی امر کانت لھم فیہ اناۃ فلو امضیناہ علیھم فامضاہ علیھم ۔(صحیح مسلم: ۱۴۷۷)

اجمع العلماء علی ان قولہ تعالیٰ: اوتشریح باحسان فی الطلقۃ الثالثۃ بعد الطلقتین وایاھا عن بقولہ (دیکھئے فتح الباری شرح البخاری:۹؍۳۶۵) 

فاطلقاھ فلا تحل لہ من بعد حتی تنکح زوجا غیرہ (سورہ البخرہ:۲۳)۔ (الجامع الاحکام القرآن الکریم لقرطبی: ۳؍۱۲۷؍۱۲۸) ۔(بحوالہ کتاب النوازل: ۹؍۲۳۲) 

It is true that the best method of divorce is for the husband to give his wife a single divorce in a “tohr” period of wife’s purity which is also free of sexual intercourse. He then leaves his wife in that same condition until the “Iddah” period is over. This is called “Talaq Ahsan”

But if someone gives divorce against this method, divorce nevertheless does take place 

Now regarding the doctrine of Ibn Taymiyyah in this regard, let it be known that his point of view is very weak against the Ahadith of the Prophet (SAW), the majority of eminent scholars of jurisprudence of the Ummah and in the light of the arguments and judgments 

(کتاب النوازل: ۹؍۲۳۱؍۲۳۲) 

فقط واللہ اعلم بالصواب