Fatwa ID: 08275
Written by Aalimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Question:
A husband gave his wife a written Talaq notice, but she never received the first one. After that, they met and were physically intimate for one day. Later, she received the second Talaq notice while she was on her period, but she had still not received the first one. After receiving the second Talaq notice, they met again and were physically intimate for two days. Finally, she received the third Talaq notice.
Now, they both want to reconcile and remain together. Given these circumstances, is their divorce valid, or can they still be considered married?
What steps should they take now to fix their situation?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa alaikum as salām wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh,
In Islamic law, the process of divorce (Talaq) is taken very seriously and must follow specific rules to be considered valid. Thus, for a talaq to be effective, it must be communicated clearly and can take place by indication (in the case of a mute person), by writing or by verbal declaration. [1]
The written form of Talaq is of two types:
- Marsumah: – refers to a text or message directly addressing the wife.
- Ghair Marsumah: –refers to a text or message addressing other than the wife.
Marsumah and Ghair Marsumah are further divided into two types:
- Clear and readable writing.
- Unclear & unreadable writing.
The description given for a ‘clear and readable writing’ would be either on a piece of paper, on the wall or ground or on something in a clear manner. The description given for an ‘unclear & unreadable writing’ would be to write in the air, on water or upon something in an unclear manner.
Talaq will not occur when the words are written in an unclear manner, irrespective of whether it is Marsumah or Ghair Marsumah (addressed or unaddressed) and whether intention is present or not. [2] However, talaq will occur when the words are written in a clear manner, even if it is not addressed or written to the wife and whether there is intention present or not.
A husband gave his wife a written Talaq notice, but she never received the first one. After that, they met and were physically intimate for one day: A written talaq notice addressed to the wife, even if it never reaches her is a valid talaq as it was intended for her. The husband writing the divorce on the paper is sufficient for divorce to occur. It is not necessary for the paper or letter to reach the wife. Thus, one divorce (Talaq Raji) would have come into effect and no consideration is given to intention. [3] The context is such that it indicates the intention even if it was not received by the wife.
The acts of intimacy after the issuance of a talaq has consequences for the status of the talaq. If a couple resumes marital relations within the iddah period (the waiting period which is approximately three menstrual cycles for a non-pregnant woman), it is considered a retraction (Ruju) of the talaq but the talaq has been used. The purpose of the iddah period is to allow for reconciliation opportunities before the divorce is finalised.
Later, she received the second Talaq notice while she was on her period, but she had still not received the first one. After receiving the second Talaq notice, they met again and were physically intimate for two days
For a husband to give Talaq to his wife during her period (haidh) is forbidden. However, the Talaq will be valid. [4] Thus, the second notice of divorce issued is valid and together both, the first and second constitute two revocable divorces (Talaq Raji). [5] [6]
Finally, she received the third Talaq notice: In conclusion, Talaq Mughallathah (final/irrevocable) has occurred as the husband issued three divorces in total. the couple would not be able to remarry unless the wife marries another man, consummates that marriage, and then that marriage ends by a natural course (not pre-planned for the purpose of remarrying the first husband). The sacred relationship of marriage has thus been severed, and you are no longer husband and wife. We pray for Allah to strengthen your hearts and guide you both to what is best. [7]
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Aalimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References
[1] وَكَذَا التَّكَلُّمُ بِالطَّلَاقِ لَيْسَ بِشَرْطٍ فَيَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ بِالْكِتَابَةِ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ وَبِالْإِشَارَةِ الْمَفْهُومَةِ مِنْ الْأَخْرَسِ لِأَنَّ الْكِتَابَةَ الْمُسْتَبِينَةَ تَقُومُ مَقَامَ اللَّفْظِ وَالْإِشَارَةَ الْمَفْهُومَةَ تَقُومُ مَقَامَ الْعِبَارَةِ.
ص100 – كتاب بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع – فصل في شرائط ركن الطلاق وبعضها يرجع إلى الزوج – المكتبة الشاملة
[2] ِ (قَوْلُهُ كَتَبَ الطَّلَاقَ إلَخْ) قَالَ فِي الْهِنْدِيَّةِ: الْكِتَابَةُ عَلَى نَوْعَيْنِ: مَرْسُومَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مَرْسُومَةٍ، وَنَعْنِي بِالْمَرْسُومَةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا مِثْلُ مَا يُكْتَبُ إلَى الْغَائِبِ. وَغَيْرُ الْمَرْسُومَةِ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا، وَهُوَ عَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ: مُسْتَبِينَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُسْتَبِينَةٍ، فَالْمُسْتَبِينَةُ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الصَّحِيفَةِ وَالْحَائِطِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَلَى وَجْهٍ يُمْكِنُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ. وَغَيْرُ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الْهَوَاءِ وَالْمَاءِ وَشَيْءٌ لَا يُمْكِنُهُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ. فَفِي غَيْرِ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ لَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَإِنْ نَوَى، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُسْتَبِينَةً لَكِنَّهَا غَيْرَ مَرْسُومَةٍ إنْ نَوَى الطَّلَاقَ وَإِلَّا لَا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَرْسُومَةً يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ ثُمَّ الْمَرْسُومَةُ لَا تَخْلُو إمَّا أَنْ أَرْسَلَ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ، فَكَمَا كَتَبَ هَذَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَتَلْزَمُهَا الْعِدَّةُ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْكِتَابَةِ. وَإِنْ عَلَّقَ طَلَاقَهَا بِمَجِيءِ الْكِتَابِ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ: إذَا جَاءَك كِتَابِي فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ فَجَاءَهَا الْكِتَابُ فَقَرَأَتْهُ أَوْ لَمْ تَقْرَأْ يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ ط (قَوْلُهُ إنْ مُسْتَبِينًا) أَيْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَرْسُومًا أَيْ مُعْتَادًا وَإِنَّمَا لَمْ يُقَيِّدْهُ بِهِ لِفَهْمِهِ مِنْ مُقَابَلَةٍ وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ: وَلَوْ كَتَبَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الرِّسَالَةِ إلَخْ فَإِنَّهُ الْمُرَادُ بِالْمَرْسُومِ (قَوْلُهُ مُطْلَقًا) الْمُرَادُ بِهِ فِي الْمَوْضِعَيْنِ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ وَقَوْلُهُ وَلَوْ عَلَى نَحْوِ الْمَاءِ مُقَابِلُ قَوْلِهِ إنْ مُسْتَبِينًا (قَوْلُهُ طَلُقَتْ بِوُصُولِ الْكِتَابِ) أَيْ إلَيْهَا وَلَا يَحْتَاجُ إلَى النِّيَّةِ فِي الْمُسْتَبِينِ الْمَرْسُومِ، وَلَا يُصَدَّقُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ أَنَّهُ عَنَى تَجْرِبَةَ الْخَطِّ بَحْرٌ، وَمَفْهُومُهُ أَنَّهُ يُصَدَّقُ دِيَانَةً فِي الْمَرْسُومِ رَحْمَتِيٌّ. وَلَوْ وَصَلَ إلَى أَبِيهَا فَمَزَّقَهُ وَلَمْ يَدْفَعْهُ إلَيْهَا، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ مُتَصَرِّفًا فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِهَا فَوَصَلَ إلَيْهِ فِي بَلَدِهَا وَقَعَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ كَذَلِكَ فَلَا مَا لَمْ يَصِلْ إلَيْهَا. وَإِنْ أَخْبَرَهَا بِوُصُولِهِ إلَيْهِ وَدَفَعَهُ إلَيْهَا مُمَزَّقًا، وَإِنْ أَمْكَنَ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ وَقَعَ وَإِلَّا فَلَا ط عَنْ الْهِنْدِيَّةِ. وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة: كَتَبَ فِي قِرْطَاسٍ: إذَا أَتَاك كِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ ثُمَّ نَسَخَهُ فِي آخَرَ أَوْ أَمَرَ غَيْرَهُ بِنَسْخِهِ وَلَمْ يُمْلِهِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَتَاهَا الْكِتَابَانِ طَلُقَتْ ثِنْتَيْنِ قَضَاءً إنْ أَقَرَّ أَنَّهُمَا كِتَابَاهُ أَوْ بَرْهَنَتْ، وَفِي الدِّيَانَةِ تَقَعُ وَاحِدَةٌ بِأَيِّهِمَا أَتَاهَا وَيَبْطُلُ الْآخَرُ؛ وَلَوْ قَالَ لِلْكَاتِبِ: اُكْتُبْ طَلَاقَ امْرَأَتِي كَانَ إقْرَارًا بِالطَّلَاقِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكْتُبْ؛ وَلَوْ اسْتَكْتَبَ مِنْ
ص246 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – مطلب اعتبار عدد الطلاق بالنساء – المكتبة الشاملة
[3] (وَفِي أَنْتِ الطَّلَاقُ) أَوْ طَلَاقٌ (أَوْ أَنْتِ طَالِقُ الطَّلَاقِ أَوْ أَنْتِ طَالِقٌ طَلَاقًا يَقَعُ وَاحِدَةٌ رَجْعِيَّةٌ إنْ لَمْ يَنْوِ شَيْئًا
ص251 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – باب صريح الطلاق – المكتبة الشاملة
[4] للباب في شرح الكتاب (441)دار قباء
وإذا طلق الرجل امرأته في حال الحيض وقع الطلاق، ويستحب له أن يراجعها، وإن شاء أمسكها
[5] كُتِبَ الطَّلَاقُ، وَإِنْ مُسْتَبِينًا عَلَى نَحْوِ لَوْحٍ وَقَعَ إنْ نَوَى، وَقِيلَ مُطْلَقًا، وَلَوْ عَلَى نَحْوِ الْمَاءِ فَلَا مُطْلَقًا. وَلَوْ كُتِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الرِّسَالَةِ وَالْخِطَابِ، كَأَنْ يَكْتُبُ يَا فُلَانَةُ: إذَا أَتَاك كِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ طَلُقَتْ بِوُصُولِ الْكِتَابِ جَوْهَرَةٌ.
ص246 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – مطلب اعتبار عدد الطلاق بالنساء – المكتبة الشاملة
[6] إذا طلق الرجل امرأته تطليقة رجعية أو تطليقتين فله أن يراجعها في عدتها رضيت بذلك أو لم ترض والرجعة أن يقول: راجعتك أو راجعت امرأتي أو يطأها أو يقبلها أو يلمسها شهوة أو ينظر إلى فرجها بشهوة ويستحب أن يشهد على الرجعة شاهدين فإن لم يشهد صحت الرجعة
الكتاب: مختصر القدوري في الفقه الحنفي الناشر: دار الكتب العلمية صفحة: 158 ص
[7] وإن كان الطلاق ثلاثا في الحرة أو اثنتين في الأمة لم تحل له حتى تنكح زوجا غيره نكاحا صحيحا ويدخل بها ثم يطلقها أو يموت عنها
ص159 – كتاب مختصر القدوري – باب الرجعة – المكتبة الشاملة
