Fatwa ID: 08999
Answered by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Question:
If someone says if you go to so and so’s house then I’m going to divorce you…. Is that considered as a third talaq?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Talaaq is a very sensitive issue in Shariah, and a husband should be extremely careful before pronouncing or even threatening with such words. The words of Talaaq are not ordinary words; at times, one sentence can affect the entire marriage. Therefore, when a statement related to Talaaq is made, the exact wording must be carefully considered.
In this case, the wording mentioned is: “If you go to so-and-so’s house, then I’m going to divorce you.” The main question is whether this statement itself caused a Talaaq, and more specifically, whether it would count as a third Talaaq.
According to the Hanafi Madhhab, Talaaq occurs through a wording which indicates Talaaq [1]. Therefore, clear words such as “I divorce you”, “I have divorced you”, or “You are divorced” are treated as words of Talaaq [2]. As for words which are in the future tense, these do not constitute Talaaq, unless it is commonly used to issue an immediate Talaaq [3] [4] [5]. Moreover, the condition of entering the house is attached to a threat or promise of issuing Talaaq in the future, not to an actual wording of Talaaq itself. Therefore, even if the condition is fulfilled and she enters the house, Talaaq will not occur merely due to this statement. [6]. Hence, in this condition, even if she enters the house, no Talaaq has occurred, and it will not count as a third Talaaq.
In conclusion, the wording: “If you go to so-and-so’s house, then I’m going to divorce you.” does not constitute Talaaq. However, we advise you to be careful regarding such threats of Talaaq as, depending on wordings, if two Talaaqs had already taken place, this may result in a third and final Talaaq.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
«فَرُكْنُ الطَّلَاقِ هُوَ اللَّفْظُ الَّذِي جُعِلَ دَلَالَةً عَلَى مَعْنَى الطَّلَاقِ»
Badaai’ al-Sanaai’ – Vol 3 – Pg 98 – Dar al-kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
[2]
«(كَطَلَّقْتُك وَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ وَمُطَلَّقَةٌ)»
Hashiyah Ibn Abideen – Vol 3 – Pg 247 – Dar al-Fikr
[3]
«وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسْتَقْبَلًا لَا يَقَعُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ بِأَنْ قَالَ أَنْتِ طَالِقٌ فِي غَدٍ أَوْ فِي الشَّهْرِ الْآتِي لِأَنَّ الطَّلَاقَ يَحْتَمِلُ الِاخْتِصَاصَ بِوَقْتٍ دُونَ وَقْتٍ فَإِذَا جُعِلَ الْغَدُ ظَرْفًا لَهُ لَا يَقَعُ قَبْلَهُ»
Badaai’ al-Sanaai’ – Vol 3 – Pg 25 – Dar al-kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
[4]
«قَوْلِهِ كَنَمِّ لِأَنَّهُ اسْتِقْبَالٌ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ تَحْقِيقًا بِالتَّشْكِيكِ»
Fatawa Hindiyyah – Vol 1 – Pg 384 – Dar al-Fikr
[5]
«وَلَيْسَ مِنْهُ أُطَلِّقُك بِصِيغَةِ الْمُضَارِعِ إلَّا إذَا غَلَبَ اسْتِعْمَالُهُ فِي الْحَالِ كَمَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ»
Al-Bahr al-Raaiq – Vol 3 – Pg 271 – Dar al-kutub al-Islamiyy
[6]
«وَكَذَا لَوْ قَالَتْ: طَلِّقْنِي بِكَذَا فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ لِأَنَّهُ وَعَدَ بِخِلَافِ قَوْلِهَا أَنَا طَالِقٌ بِأَلْفٍ»
Fatawa Hindiyyah – Vol 1 – Pg 488 – Dar al-Fikr