Fatwa ID: 08877

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Question:

In an argument with may husband I said to him that if I was having so many issues then he was supposed to give me divorce 10 yrs back. Why he was living with me from so many years? Then husband asked in urdu, ab day deta hun ya ab day dunn.

Then he stopped and nothing happened I just said ab kya faida. I just want to ask that by these sentences is there any issue? As husband said he did not give and also was not having intention he was just asking from me my intention?

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

Answer:

Based on what has been described, no divorce (talaq) has occurred. The husband’s words were in the form of a question, not a declaration, and no explicit wording of divorce (Talaq al-Sarih) was uttered. [1]

The statement stopped without completion and was not followed by any formal declaration. In Islamic law, divorce is not valid through a question, suggestion, or ambiguous wording (Talaq al-Kinayah) unless accompanied by a clear intent or declaration. Furthermore, the husband clearly states that he had no intention of issuing a divorce. [2]

Therefore, a hypothetical or interrogative statement like “I’ll give it now/Shall I give it now?” (ab day deta hun ya ab day dunn…) does not constitute divorce, and the marriage remains intact.

Spouses should avoid mentioning divorce in moments of anger, as doing so can cause emotional harm, create unnecessary confusion, and may even result in an unintended divorce when spoken of carelessly. Divorce is a serious matter and should be regarded as a last resort, only when genuinely necessary and after all efforts at reconciliation have been thoroughly exhausted.

References:

[1]  ” الطلاق على ضربين صريح وكناية فالصريح قوله أنت طالق ومطلقة وطلقتك فهذا يقع به الطلاق الرجعي ” لأن هذه الألفاظ تستعمل في الطلاق ولا تستعمل في غيره فكان صريحا وأنه يعقب الرجعة بالنص ” ولا يفتقر إلى النية ” لأنه صريح فيه لغلبة الاستعمال “

ص225 – كتاب الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي – باب ايقاع الطلاق – المكتبة الشاملة

[2]  (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

ص374 – كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية – الفصل الخامس في الكنايات في الطلاق – المكتبة الشاملة

الْكِنَايَاتُ. الْكِنَايَةُ: مَا اسْتَتَرَ الْمُرَادُ بِهِ.

وَحُكْمُهَا أَنَّهُ لَا يَجِبُ الْعَمَلُ بِهَا إلَّا بِالنِّيَّةِ أَوْ مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهَا مِنْ دَلَالَةِ الْحَالِ

ص61 – كتاب العناية شرح الهداية بهامش فتح القدير ط الحلبي – ألفاظ يقع بها الطلاق الرجعي – المكتبة الشاملة

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham