Fatwa ID: 08204

Answered by: Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Question:

Salamu aleykum I said some words to myself whilst at work I dont know if said it out loud but the words I have said were” what your going to do when the baby is born you don’t even want her ” I was saying that  to myself at work  but i dont know if i spoke the words out loud or moving my lips but I had no intention of divorce 100% is this considered divorce? Jizakalahu kheyr.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

One who says clear and explicit words of divorce to their wife shall be divorced, regardless of their intention [1]. One who says ambiguous words of divorce intending divorce will also be divorced. But if one says ambiguous words that do not relate to divorce and they did not intend divorce, as in your case, then no divorce occurs [2]. Thus, your statement will not constitute divorce.

More concerning is that you have consummated your marriage with your wife and yet appear to shun the responsibility that this entails. The requirement of marriage in Islam is not only to ensure the relationship is made public knowledge, but also to enforce upon the husband the obligation of taking responsibility for his actions. The husband is required to provide for the wife as well as any children she may have by him, and if he is not willing to do so he should not have consummated the marriage in the first place [3].

And only Allah s.w.t knows best.

Written by Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Raddul Muhtar, vol. 3, pg. 250, Darul Fikr:

(قَوْلُهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ شَيْئًا) لِمَا مَرَّ أَنَّ الصَّرِيحَ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إلَى النِّيَّةِ، وَلَكِنْ لَا بُدَّ فِي وُقُوعِهِ قَضَاءً وَدِيَانَةً مِنْ قَصْدِ إضَافَةِ لَفْظِ الطَّلَاقِ إلَيْهَا عَالِمًا بِمَعْنَاهُ وَلَمْ يَصْرِفْهُ إلَى مَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ

[2] Raddul Muhtar, vol. 3, pg. 296-297, Darul Fikr:

بَابُ الْكِنَايَاتِ (كِنَايَتُهُ) عِنْدَ الْفُقَهَاءِ (مَا لَمْ يُوضَعْ لَهُ) أَيْ الطَّلَاقِ (وَاحْتَمَلَهُ) وَغَيْرَهُ (فَ) الْكِنَايَاتُ (لَا تَطْلُقُ بِهَا) قَضَاءً (إلَّا بِنِيَّةٍ أَوْ دَلَالَةِ الْحَالِ) وَهِيَ حَالَةُ مُذَاكَرَةِ الطَّلَاقِ أَوْ الْغَضَبِ

[3] Surah An-Nisa’ 34:

{ الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ … }