Fatwa ID: 08835
Answered by: Maulana Sakib Shadman
Question:
I have a question regarding a situation involving my marriage and talaq. I am currently dealing with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), and I would like to clarify whether a talaq I may have uttered in a moment of distress or confusion is valid under Islamic law, specifically within the Hanafi school of thought.
Background:
I have been struggling with OCD for some time, and I am under treatment, including medication and regular check-ups.
I sometimes experience intrusive thoughts that I do not believe in but feel forced to engage with due to my condition.
On one occasion, I was thinking about an imagined scenario involving my wife. These thoughts were persistent and involved doubts and imaginations about her. During this time, my OCD also led me to create scenarios to counter these thoughts, which further intensified the experience.
What Happened:
During this period of distress, I mumbled the word “talaq” to myself in a very low voice, unsure whether I had actually uttered it clearly or not.
I did not have a clear intention to divorce my wife. My mind was consumed with the imagined scenario, and I was trying to counter my intrusive thoughts.
I was in a state of mental disconnect, and my mind was preoccupied with the imaginary scenario. I did not fully understand what was going on around me at that moment, as I was lost in thought.
Questions:
- Does the talaq I uttered in this state, given the low audibility and my mental state, count as a valid talaq under Hanafi fiqh?
- Does my history with OCD and the intrusive thoughts I experience affect the validity of the talaq?
- If the talaq was not valid, what steps should I take in light of the situation?
I am seeking clarity on whether I am still married and whether there are any actions I need to take. I would greatly appreciate your guidance in this matter, and I understand that my mental condition could influence the ruling.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
- Merely uttering the word “Talaq” does not cause divorce to take place.
- Your OCD does not affect the validity of your statements such as utterances of Talaq. If you utter the words of Talaq, then divorce will take place as is the status quo. Your mental condition will not influence the ruling.
- You need to learn to control your tongue in situations in which you are angry or distressed. The more you develop fear of Allah Ta’ala, the easier it will become to control your tongue. Please stay away from anything Haram or doubtful in order to develop Taqwa (God-fearingness).
Also please remain in a constant state of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah Ta’ala). This will help with your OCD, as Dhikr helps to ward off the whispers of the Shaytan. Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran:
{ وَمَن یَعۡشُ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ نُقَیِّضۡ لَهُۥ شَیۡطَـٰنࣰا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِینࣱ }
[Surah Az-Zukhruf: 36]
And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
Thus if you stay in the state of constant Dhikr, the whispers of the Shaytan will not affect you so severely. Please also continue to seek treatment for your OCD from a pious Muslim Psychiatrist. You will require some psychotherapy in order to treat your OCD.
References:
(الْبَابُ الثَّانِي فِي إيقَاعِ الطَّلَاقِ وَفِيهِ سَبْعَةُ فُصُولٍ) . (الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي الطَّلَاقِ الصَّرِيحِ) . وَهُوَ كَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ وَمُطَلَّقَةٌ وَطَلَّقْتُك وَتَقَعُ وَاحِدَةٌ رَجْعِيَّةٌ وَإِنْ نَوَى الْأَكْثَرَ أَوْ الْإِبَانَةَ أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ شَيْئًا كَذَا فِي الْكَنْزِ.
ص354 – كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية – الباب الثاني في إيقاع الطلاق وفيه سبعة فصول – المكتبة الشاملة
(قَوْلُهُ: وَمَجْنُونٍ مَغْلُوبٍ إلَخْ) قَدْ يُذْكَرُ هَذَا الْقَيْدُ وَيُرَادُ بِهِ الْغَلَبَةُ عَلَى الْعَقْلِ، فَيُحْتَرَزُ بِهِ عَنْ الْمَعْتُوهِ كَمَا وَقَعَ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ، حَيْثُ قَالَ: وَلَا يَجُوزُ تَصَرُّفُ الْمَجْنُونِ الْمَغْلُوبِ بِحَالٍ، وَقَدْ يُرَادُ بِهِ مَنْ صَارَ مَغْلُوبًا لِلْجُنُونِ، بِحَيْثُ لَا يُفِيقُ أَيْ لَا يَزُولُ عَنْهُ مَا بِهِ مِنْ الْجُنُونِ قَوِيًّا كَانَ أَوْ ضَعِيفًا، فَيَدْخُلُ فِيهِ الْمَعْتُوهُ وَيُحْتَرَزُ بِهِ عَمَّنْ يُجَنُّ وَيُفِيقُ فَإِنَّهُ يَجُوزُ تَصَرُّفُهُ عَلَى مَا يَأْتِي فَمَنْ احْتَرَزَ بِهِ عَنْ الْمَعْتُوهِ فَقَدْ وَهِمَ لِظَنِّهِ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ فِي الْكَلَامَيْنِ وَاحِدٌ مَعَ أَنَّ طَلَاقَ الْمَعْتُوهِ أَيْضًا لَا يَصِحُّ كَذَا أَفَادَهُ ابْنُ الْكَمَالِ وَتَبِعَهُ الشَّارِحُ.
ص144 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – كتاب الحجر – المكتبة الشاملة
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى الصَّنْعَانِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، – وَهُوَ ابْنُ الْحَارِثِ – قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم – فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَسْمَعُ بَعْدَهُ أَحَدًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم – يَقُولُ ” إِنَّ الْحَلاَلَ بَيِّنٌ وَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ وَإِنَّ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورًا مُشْتَبِهَاتٍ ” . وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ ” وَإِنَّ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورًا مُشْتَبِهَةً ” . قَالَ ” وَسَأَضْرِبُ لَكُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ مَثَلاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَمَى حِمًى وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا حَرَّمَ وَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَرْتَعْ حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكْ أَنْ يُخَالِطَ الْحِمَى ” . وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ ” إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكْ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّ مَنْ يُخَالِطِ الرِّيبَةَ يُوشِكْ أَنْ يَجْسُرَ ” .
An-Nu’man bin Bashir said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain, and between them are matters which are not as clear. I will strike a parable for you about that: indeed Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has established a sanctuary, and the sanctuary of Allah is that which He has forbidden. Whoever approaches the sanctuary is bound to transgress upon it, Or he said: ‘Whoever grazes around the sanctuary will soon transgress upon it, and whoever indulges in matters that are not clear, he will soon transgress beyond the limits,””
Sunan an-Nasa’i 4453
Chapter 2: Avoiding doubtful sources of earning, Book 44: The Book of Financial Transactions
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
