Fatwa ID: 09081
Answered by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Question:
I need Islamic guidance regarding my nikah and a possible talaq.
My issue is that my husband (who lives in another country) after arguments via text messages asked me for my ID documents on the pretext of preparing divorce papers. After that, he used words that “this marriage is over for me” and he also said that he would send the papers, but he never sent them.
At that time, his conduct and attitude showed that he wanted to end the marriage. He did not contact me for weeks, Later, after some time I contacted him to clarify what he wants to do with the marrige, initially he kept his silence and stance then started contacting me again saying he wanted to make this marrige work, but he did not make any clear reconciliation or ruju‘. Even the contact has been vague. Sometimes he says that he does not want a divorce and that he wants reconciliation, but in practice:
– he did not clearly take me back
– he did not and/ or is ready fulfil the my rights
– he told me he is not yet mentaly ready to fulfil my conditions. (Like providing a place to live with him, or other marital obligation)
– he did not provide other marital rights
he did not come to any final decision and rather wants me to wait. It has been 7 months to this marrige already.
Despite of all of the above he also says that he had no intention of divorce.
Please kindly answer these questions for me:
– If the words were kinayah, did talaq take place or not?
– If he had the intention of divorce at that time, would it count as talaq ba’in or talaq raj‘i?
– If there was only occasional contact during the iddah, but no clear ruju‘ and no restoration of marital rights, would that count as a valid ruju‘ in Shari‘ah?
– If the three-month period passed and no valid ruju‘ took place, should the nikah be considered ended?
– If the husband is now denying intention, but his conduct was like someone ending the marriage, what should the wife do in this case?
– If talaq is not established, but the husband keeps the wife suspended and does not fulfil her rights, what should the wife do?
Please explain the Islamic ruling on this matter. If needed, I can also provide the exact words he used and the full timeline.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
You are irrevocably divorced from your husband with no possibility of ruju’. You must observe your iddah, and once the iddah period ends you will not be married to your ex-husband.
The written statement “this marriage is over for me” which was sent by your husband via text message to you during an argument and discussion of divorce would count as a valid issuance of divorce.[1] Due to the clear indications from the situation, this would occur regardless of your husband’s stated intention.[1]
Such words of ending the marriage in non-clear terms would constitute an irrevocable divorce (talaq ba’in).[2]
Due to this, no revocation (ruju’) would be possible for your husband.[2] Assuming you are not pregnant, you must observe your iddah of three menstrual periods (or three months if you do not menstruate) starting from when the divorce was issued.[3]
The marriage (nikah) will fully end upon the end of your iddah period. At this point, you are divorced from your ex-husband and free to remarry him with a new nikah or marry someone else.[4]
Your husband’s denial of his intention is of no consequence and you must observe your iddah.[3] After this, treat your ex-husband as non-mahram, acting in a manner which reflects the fact that your marriage is over. The divorce is established regardless of his opinion on the matter.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
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
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fitr, https://shamela.ws) v.3 p.246
الْفَصْلُ السَّادِسُ فِي الطَّلَاقِ بِالْكِتَابَةِ) الْكِتَابَةُ عَلَى نَوْعَيْنِ مَرْسُومَةٌ وَغَيْرُ مَرْسُومَةٍ وَنَعْنِي بِالْمَرْسُومَةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا مِثْلُ مَا يُكْتَبُ إلَى الْغَائِبِ وَغَيْرُ مَوْسُومَةٍ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا وَهُوَ عَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ مُسْتَبِينَةٌ وَغَيْرُ مُسْتَبِينَةٍ فَالْمُسْتَبِينَةُ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الصَّحِيفَةِ وَالْحَائِطِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَلَى وَجْهٍ يُمْكِنُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ وَغَيْرُ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الْهَوَاءِ وَالْمَاءِ وَشَيْءٍ لَا يُمْكِنُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ فَفِي غَيْرِ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ لَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَإِنْ نَوَى وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُسْتَبِينَةً لَكِنَّهَا غَيْرُ مَرْسُومَةٍ إنْ نَوَى الطَّلَاقَ يَقَعُ وَإِلَّا فَلَا وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَرْسُومَةً يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ ثُمَّ الْمَرْسُومَةُ لَا تَخْلُو أَمَّا إنْ أَرْسَلَ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَكُلَّمَا كَتَبَ هَذَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَتَلْزَمُهَا الْعِدَّةُ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْكِتَابَةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.378
الْفَصْلُ الْخَامِسُ فِي الْكِنَايَاتِ) لَا يَقَعُ بِهَا الطَّلَاقُ إلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ أَوْ بِدَلَالَةِ حَالٍ كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ. ثُمَّ الْكِنَايَاتُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْسَامٍ (مَا يَصْلُحُ جَوَابًا لَا غَيْرُ) أَمْرُك بِيَدِك، اخْتَارِي، اعْتَدِّي (وَمَا يَصْلُحُ جَوَابًا وَرَدَّا لَا غَيْرُ) اُخْرُجِي اذْهَبِي اُعْزُبِي قُومِي تَقَنَّعِي اسْتَتِرِي تَخَمَّرِي (وَمَا يَصْلُحُ جَوَابًا وَشَتْمًا) خَلِيَّةٌ بَرِيَّةٌ بَتَّةٌ بَتْلَةٌ بَائِنٌ حَرَامٌ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.374
وَالْأَحْوَالُ ثَلَاثَةٌ (حَالَةُ) الرِّضَا (وَحَالَةُ) مُذَاكَرَةِ الطَّلَاقِ بِأَنْ تَسْأَلَ هِيَ طَلَاقَهَا أَوْ غَيْرُهَا يَسْأَلُ طَلَاقَهَا (وَحَالَةُ) الْغَضَبِ فَفِي حَالَةِ الرِّضَا لَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ فِي الْأَلْفَاظِ كُلِّهَا إلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ وَالْقَوْلُ قَوْلُ الزَّوْجِ فِي تَرْكِ النِّيَّةِ مَعَ الْيَمِينِ وَفِي حَالَةِ مُذَاكَرَةِ الطَّلَاقِ يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَقْسَامِ قَضَاءً إلَّا فِيمَا يَصْلُحُ جَوَابًا وَرَدَّا فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُجْعَلُ طَلَاقًا كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي وَفِي حَالَةِ الْغَضَبِ يُصَدَّقُ فِي جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ لِاحْتِمَالِ الرَّدِّ وَالسَّبِّ إلَّا فِيمَا يَصْلُحُ لِلطَّلَاقِ وَلَا يَصْلُحُ لِلرَّدِّ وَالشَّتْمِ كَقَوْلِهِ اعْتَدِّي وَاخْتَارِي وَأَمْرُك بِيَدِك فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ. وَأَلْحَقَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – بِخَلِيَّةٍ وَبَرِيَّةٍ وَبَتَّةٍ وَبَائِنٍ وَحَرَامٍ أَرْبَعَةً أُخْرَى ذَكَرَهَا السَّرَخْسِيُّ فِي الْمَبْسُوطِ وَقَاضِي خَانْ فِي الْجَامِعِ الصَّغِيرِ وَآخَرُونَ وَهِيَ لَا سَبِيلَ لِي عَلَيْك لَا مِلْكَ لِي عَلَيْك خَلَّيْت سَبِيلَك فَارَقْتُك وَلَا رِوَايَةَ فِي خَرَجْت مِنْ مِلْكِي قَالُوا هُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ خَلَّيْت سَبِيلَك وَفِي الْيَنَابِيعِ أَلْحَقَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – بِالْخَمْسَةِ سِتَّةً أُخْرَى وَهِيَ الْأَرْبَعَةُ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةُ وَزَادَ خَالَعْتكِ وَالْحَقِي بِأَهْلِك هَكَذَا فِي غَايَةِ السُّرُوجِيِّ
…
وَلَوْ قَالَ فَسَخْت النِّكَاحَ وَنَوَى الطَّلَاقَ يَقَعُ وَعَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – إنْ نَوَى ثَلَاثًا فَثَلَاثٌ كَذَا فِي مِعْرَاجِ الدِّرَايَةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.375
[2]
قَوْلُهُ مَا لَمْ يُوضَعْ لَهُ إلَخْ) أَيْ بَلْ وُضِعَ لِمَا هُوَ أَعَمُّ مِنْهُ وَمِنْ حُكْمِهِ لِأَنَّ مَا سِوَى الثَّلَاثِ الرَّجْعِيَّةِ الْآتِيَةِ لَمْ يُرِدْ بِهِ الطَّلَاقَ أَصْلًا، بَلْ هُوَ حُكْمُهُ فِي الْبَيْنُونَةِ مِنْ النِّكَاحِ
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.3 p.278
[3]
وَمَبْدَأُ الْعِدَّةِ بَعْدَ الطَّلَاقِ وَ) بَعْدَ (الْمَوْتِ) عَلَى الْفَوْرِ (وَتَنْقَضِي الْعِدَّةُ وَإِنْ جَهِلَتْ) الْمَرْأَةُ (بِهِمَا) أَيْ بِالطَّلَاقِ وَالْمَوْتِ لِأَنَّهَا أَجَلٌ فَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ الْعِلْمُ بِمُضِيِّهِ سَوَاءٌ اعْتَرَفَ بِالطَّلَاقِ، أَوْ أَنْكَرَ.
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.3 p.520
إذَا طَلَّقَ الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ طَلَاقًا بَائِنًا أَوْ رَجْعِيًّا أَوْ ثَلَاثًا أَوْ وَقَعَتْ الْفُرْقَةُ بَيْنَهُمَا بِغَيْرِ طَلَاقٍ وَهِيَ حُرَّةٌ مِمَّنْ تَحِيضُ فَعِدَّتُهَا ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْرَاءٍ سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ الْحُرَّةُ مُسْلِمَةً أَوْ كِتَابِيَّةً كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ.
…
وَالْعِدَّةُ لِمَنْ لَمْ تَحِضْ لِصِغَرٍ أَوْ كِبَر أَوْ بَلَغَتْ بِالسِّنِّ وَلَمْ تَحِضْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ كَذَا فِي النُّقَايَةِ
…
وَعِدَّةُ الْحَامِلِ أَنْ تَضَعَ حَمْلَهَا
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.526-8
[4]
قَوْلُهُ لَا الْمُبَانَةُ بِالثَّلَاثِ لَوْ حُرَّةً، وَبِالثِّنْتَيْنِ لَوْ أَمَةً حَتَّى يَطَأَهَا غَيْرُهُ، وَلَوْ مُرَاهِقًا بِنِكَاحٍ صَحِيحٍ، وَتَمْضِي عِدَّتُهُ لَا بِمِلْكِ يَمِينٍ) أَيْ لَا يَنْكِحُ مُبَانَتَهُ بِالْبَيْنُونَةِ الْغَلِيظَةَ
Kitab Al-Bahr Al-Raa’iq (Daar Al-Kutub Al-Islaamiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.4 p.61