Fatwa ID: 08884
Answered by: Maulana Sakib Shadman
Question:
I recently read the fatwa issued by Darul Ifta Birmingham regarding the validity of talaq when uttered in a mispronounced or distorted form. In particular, it mentions that distorted pronunciations such as “talaagh,” “talaqh,” or similar variations may constitute a valid talaq if intention is present and no witnesses were appointed beforehand to clarify the intent.
I respectfully ask for clarification on the following:
If a husband, with the intention of issuing a talaq, produces only a partial sound from the word “talaq” (e.g., only the “ta” or “q” sound), without articulating the full word, does this count as a distorted form of talaq and thus result in a valid divorce?
If a husband, with the intention of divorce, makes a random or placeholder sound (such as a tongue click or an unrelated noise), but intends for that sound to represent the word “talaq”, does this count as a valid talaq under the ruling mentioned?
In cases where the sounds made do not clearly resemble the word “talaq” but the intention of divorce is there, does the fatwa consider the divorce valid based solely on the presence of intention and some form of vocalized sound? I would be very grateful for your guidance and any elaboration on how “distorted” is defined in this context.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
- Pronouncing only part (as opposed to most) of the word “Talaq” by only uttering “ta” or “q” will NOT cause divorce to occur.
- Making a tongue clicking sound or any other noise unrelated to the word “Talaq” will also not cause divorce to occur, no matter what the intention is behind making those sounds.
- Again, making random sounds unrelated to Talaq will not cause divorce to occur even if the intention of giving divorce was present.
References:
وَإِنْ حَذَفَ اللَّامَ فَقَطْ فَقَالَ أَنْتِ طَاق لَا يَقَعُ وَإِنْ نَوَى وَإِنْ حَذَفَ اللَّامَ وَالْقَافَ بِأَنْ قَالَ أَنْتِ طَا وَسَكَتَ أَوْ أَخَذَ إنْسَان فَمه لَا يَقَعُ وَإِنْ نَوَى كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ الرَّائِقِ
ص357 – كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية – الفصل الأول في الطلاق الصريح – المكتبة الشاملة
وَطَلَاغٌ، وَطَلَاكٌ، وَتَلَاكٌ. وَيَقَعُ بِهِ فِي الْقَضَاءِ وَلَا يُصَدَّقُ إلَّا إذَا أَشْهَدَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ التَّكَلُّمِ بِأَنْ قَالَ: امْرَأَتِي تَطْلُبُ مِنِّي الطَّلَاقَ وَأَنَا لَا أُطَلِّقُ فَأَقُولُ هَذَا وَيُصَدَّقُ دِيَانَةً،
ص8 – كتاب فتح القدير للكمال بن الهمام ط الحلبي – باب إيقاع الطلاق – المكتبة الشاملة
وَلَوْ حَذَفَ الْقَافَ مِنْ طَالِقٍ فَقَالَ أَنْت طَالَ فَإِنْ كَسَرَ اللَّامَ وَقَعَ بِلَا نِيَّةٍ وَإِلَّا فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي مُذَاكَرَةِ الطَّلَاقِ، وَالْغَضَبِ فَكَذَلِكَ وَإِلَّا تَوَقَّفَ عَلَى النِّيَّةِ كَذَا فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ، وَفِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ لَوْ قَالَ: أَنْتِ طَالَ لَمْ يَقَعْ إلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ إلَّا فِي حَالِ مُذَاكَرَةِ الطَّلَاقِ أَوْ الْغَضَبِ وَلَوْ قَالَ يَا طَالِ بِكَسْرِ اللَّامِ وَقَعَ الطَّلَاقُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْوِ اهـ.
ص274 – كتاب البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري – باب ألفاظ الطلاق – المكتبة الشاملة
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham