Fatwa ID: 09501
Answered by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Question:
What should a wife do if she is divorced three times while menstruating? Should she stay in the house, return to her husband, or leave the house, and where should she go? What is the Islamic ruling? The husband is unaware that his wife is menstruating.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If a woman is divorced three times while menstruating and her husband cannot provide separate accommodation, she may stay in her former husband’s house but should place a barrier, lock herself, or barricade herself in a room (preferably with an exit) to prevent seclusion. If there is fear for her safety due to his behavior or abuse, only then may she leave and stay in another place. If the husband moves out and she can stay safely, that is better. If she has already left her husband’s house or the accommodation provided to her, she must return and complete her ‘Iddah there. This ruling applies whether she is menstruating or not.
Allah (ﷻ) says in the Quran: When you ˹intend to˺ divorce women, then divorce them with concern for their waiting period, and count it accurately. And fear Allah, your Lord. Do not force them out of their homes, nor should they leave (Surah Talāq 65:1) [1]
Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Said ibn al-Musayyab was asked who was obliged to pay the rent for a woman whose husband divorced her while she was in a leased house. Said ibn al-Musayyab said, “Her husband is obliged to pay it.” Someone asked, “what if her husband does not have it?” He said, “Then she must pay it.” Someone asked, “And if she does not have it?” He said, “Then the Amir must pay it.” (Muwatta Imam Malik, Book 29, Hadith 66) [2]
Fatāwā Hindiyyah:
If he (the husband) divorces her with three (Talāq Raj’īs) or with a single irrevocable divorce (Talāq Bā’in) and he has only one house, he should place a barrier between himself and her so that seclusion does not occur between him and a non-mahram woman (the divorced wife). If he is immoral and there is fear for her from him, then she should leave and reside in another house. If the husband vacates and leaves her (in the house), then that is better. [3]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ اِذَا طَلَّقۡتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوۡهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَاَحۡصُوا الۡعِدَّةَ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ رَبَّكُمۡ ۚ لَا تُخۡرِجُوۡهُنَّ مِنۡۢ بُيُوۡتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخۡرُجۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّاۡتِيۡنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ ؕ وَتِلۡكَ حُدُوۡدُ اللّٰهِ ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَعَدَّ حُدُوۡدَ اللّٰهِ فَقَدۡ ظَلَمَ نَفۡسَهٗ ؕ لَا تَدۡرِىۡ لَعَلَّ اللّٰهَ يُحۡدِثُ بَعۡدَ ذٰ لِكَ اَمۡرًا
Surah Talāq (65:1)
[2]
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، سُئِلَ عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ، يُطَلِّقُهَا زَوْجُهَا وَهِيَ فِي بَيْتٍ بِكِرَاءٍ عَلَى مَنِ الْكِرَاءُ فَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا . قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَ زَوْجِهَا قَالَ فَعَلَيْهَا . قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهَا قَالَ فَعَلَى الأَمِيرِ .
Muwatta Imam Malik, Book 29, Hadith 66, sunnah.com
[3]
إذَا طَلَّقَهَا ثَلَاثًا أَوْ وَاحِدَةً بَائِنَةً وَلَيْسَ لَهُ إلَّا بَيْتٌ وَاحِدٌ فَيَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا حِجَابًا حَتَّى لَا تَقَعَ الْخَلْوَةُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا يُخَافُ عَلَيْهَا مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهَا تَخْرُجُ وَتَسْكُنُ مَنْزِلًا آخَرَ، وَإِنْ خَرَجَ الزَّوْجُ وَتَرَكَهَا فَهُوَ أَوْلَى
(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyyah, vol. 1, pg. 535, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)