Fatwa ID: 09108
Answered by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
A husband became upset and angry at a restaurant because of the staff behaviour. In his anger, he said:
“If I come back to this restaurant, I will divorce my wife.”
The question is not about the effect of anger. Rather, it concerns the wording itself: can this statement be considered an oath rather than a conditional divorce in the madhab? Does intention matter in the Madhab?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. May Allah Most High grant you clarity in matters of speech and protect families from harm and regret.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جَدٌّ وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدُّ: النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّلَاقُ وَالرِّجْعَةُ
“There are three things which, whether undertaken seriously or in jest, are treated as serious: marriage, divorce and taking back a wife after a divorce which is not final.”
(Mishkat al-Masabih 3284)
The statement “If I come back to this restaurant, I will divorce my wife” is treated as a conditional divorce, not merely an oath.
The statement, “If I come back to this restaurant, I will divorce my wife,” constitutes a conditional divorce and is not treated as a mere oath. This is because the wording explicitly links divorce to a future condition, and such constructions are recognised in fiqh as binding suspensions of divorce upon the occurrence of that condition. [1]
In the Hanafi school, whenever a clear expression of divorce is attached to a condition, the ruling is that the divorce becomes effective when the condition is fulfilled. [2] For this very reason, jurists discuss numerous scenarios of if conditions are linked to entering a place or speaking to someone, and they consistently rule that once the condition is fulfilled, the divorce takes effect accordingly. [1]
As for the need for intention, it does not alter the ruling when such clear wording is used. The word “divorce” falls under an explicit expression (sarih) of divorce, and is legally effective without requiring intention. Even if the husband only meant to deter himself or emphasise that he would not return, the law gives effect to the wordings used, not the internal motive. [2]
Therefore, this statement cannot be reclassified as an and it remains a conditional divorce. If the husband returns to the restaurant, the condition is fulfilled and one divorce will take place. If he does not return, no divorce occurs.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
وَلَوْ قَالَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ إنْ دَخَلْت الدَّارَ فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ ثَلَاثًا فَطَلَّقَهَا وَاحِدَةً أَوْ ثِنْتَيْنِ قَبْلَ دُخُولِ الدَّارِ فَتَزَوَّجَتْ بِزَوْجٍ آخَرَ وَدَخَلَ بِهَا ثُمَّ عَادَتْ إلَى الزَّوْجِ الْأَوَّلِ فَدَخَلَتْ الدَّارَ طَلَقَتْ ثَلَاثًا فِي قَوْلِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – كَذَا فِي الْبَدَائِعِ
…
وَإِذَا قَالَ: كُلَّمَا دَخَلْتُ هَذِهِ الدَّارَ وَكَلَّمْتُ فُلَانًا أَوْ فَكَلَّمْتُ فُلَانًا فَامْرَأَةٌ مِنْ نِسَائِي طَالِقٌ فَدَخَلَ الدَّارَ دَخَلَاتٍ وَكَلَّمَ فُلَانًا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَمْ تَطْلُقْ إلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَوْ قَالَ: كُلَّمَا دَخَلْتُ هَذِهِ الدَّارَ فَإِنْ كَلَّمْتُ فُلَانًا فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَدَخَلَ الدَّارَ ثَلَاثًا وَكَلَّمَ فُلَانًا مَرَّةً طَلَقَتْ ثَلَاثًا
كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية 1:416 المكتبة الشاملة
[2]
[فَرْعٌ] قَالَ لِزَوْجَتِهِ الْأَمَةِ: إنْ دَخَلْت الدَّارَ فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ ثَلَاثًا فَعَتَقَتْ فَدَخَلَتْ لَهُ رَجْعَتُهَا قُنْيَةٌ
(وَأَلْفَاظُ الشَّرْطِ) أَيْ عَلَامَاتُ وُجُودِ الْجَزَاءِ
كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين = رد المحتار ط الحلبي 3:350 المكتبة الشاملة