Fatwa ID: 03001
Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Imad Ali
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
I intended to write the following message to my wife on WhatsApp "For the last few days I am also getting very realistic dreams but that is probably because of the medicine". (Referring to the psychiatric medicine I am taking for my OCD).
Since I suffer from waswasa, I usually repeat the words "it does not mean anything" in my head whenever I talk to or text something to my wife to ensure my intentions don’t wander and turn into something else. Even though I was repeating these words, as soon as I typed "For the last few d.. (I mistyped the second and perhaps the third letter of the word 'day' but can't remember which ones)" a thought of divorce flashed into my mind (because of the letter d). I immediately shrugged the thought away and completed the sentence as I had originally intended it to be and sent it.
Question 1: Did the incomplete sentence "For the last few d.." result in divorce if there
a) was intent?
b) Was no intent?
Question 2: I am almost certain (but not completely) that I didn’t utter this sentence out loud, but If I said this part of the sentence "For the last few divorces (or divorces)" out loud just to see if whether replacing the word 'days' in my originally intended sentence would make grammatical sense or not, would it result in divorce if there
a) was intent?
b) Was no intent?
Question 3: What if a person has a thought of divorce in his mind, and he makes a sound with his lips closed such as his tongue pressing against his teeth or swallowing spit etc and there is no other word or uttered? I am asking this question because I read a fatwa about mispronouncing words of divorce.
Question 4: I am sorry for adding multiple questions in one, but I feel they are related. How do I differentiate between a waswasa thought and a proper intent?
Answer:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Answer 1:
Divorce does not occur if the thought of it was to cross your mind.
Answer 2:
Divorce would not occur in both cases due to it being unclear.
Answer 3:
No divorce will occur.
Answer 4:
Shaitan will try to create waswasas in particular in the hearts of the believers, especially in salah by creating worldly thoughts and doubts in it. The musali should be firm and not give in to these whispers and thoughts and should not allow the accursed Shaitan to overpower him. (Mazaahirul Haqq p.155 v.1)
Saaiduna Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘Allah has forgiven my ummah regarding those waswasas that creep into their hearts so long as they do not act upon them or bring them into their tongues’. (Mishkatul Masaabeeh p.18 v.1)
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Muhammad Imad Ali
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
