Fatwa No : 83721
"To make a divorce conditional upon an event that has already occurred

"To make a divorce conditional upon an event that has already occurred

There was an argument between me and my wife in our room over something. During that argument, my daughter was leaving the house. At that moment, I said to my wife: “If our daughter leaves the house, then you are divorced.”

However, my daughter had already left the house before I uttered those words. My wife even called out to her, but she had already gone. When I went downstairs to bring her back, she had already left the house.

Now, it has been a month since that incident. My wife has been living with me, and our daughter is also with us. But recently, another argument happened, and my wife has gone to her parents’ house.

Now my younger daughter is saying that her mother has been divorced.

I swear by Allah Almighty that everything I have told you is completely true.

I want to know: Has my wife been divorced or not?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be clear that if a divorce (ṭalāq) is made conditional upon something, occurrence of which is indeed impossible, then such a condition is not valid according to Islamic law, and the divorce does not take effect.

Therefore, if the questioner’s statement is truly accurate and honest, meaning, there has been no falsehood or deception, and indeed, when he said the words "If our daughter leaves the house, then you are divorced," his daughter had already left the house and he was unaware of her departure at that time, then this statement is considered null and void, and no divorce has taken place with respect to his wife.
Accordingly, both husband and wife may continue to live together as before. However, it is strongly advised that great caution be exercised in the future regarding matters of divorce.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الفتاوی الھندیۃ: و اذا اضافہ الی الشرط وقع عقیب الشرط اتفاقاً مثل ان یقول لأمرأتہ ان دخلت الدار فأنت طالق الخ۔ (فصل فی تعلیق الطلاق،ج: 1،ص: 420،ط: ماجدیہ)۔
وفی تبیین الحقائق: (إن لم أشرب ماء هذا ‌الكوز اليوم فكذا ولا ماء فيه أو كان فصب أو أطلق ولا ماء فيه لا يحنث وإن كان فصب حنث) أي رجل قال لامرأته إن لم أشرب الماء الذي في هذا ‌الكوز اليوم فأنت طالق وليس فيه ماء أو كان فيه ماء فصب قبل غروب الشمس أو أطلق اليمين أي لم يقل اليوم وليس في ‌الكوز ماء لم يحنث في هذه الصوركلهاوإن كان فيه فصب حنث أي في المطلق وهو ما إذا لم يقل اليوم فحاصله أن هذه المسألة على وجهين إما أن يكون مؤقتة باليوم أو لم تكن مؤقتة به وكل وجه على وجهين إما أن يكون فيه ماء فصب أو لا يكون فيه ماء أما في المؤقت لا يحنث في الوجهين لأنه إن لم يكن فيه ماء يستحيل الشرب منه واليمين على المحال لا تنعقد وكذلك إن كان فيه ماء فصب قبل الليل لأن البر في المؤقت يجب في آخر الوقت الخ۔ (کتاب الایمان،ج:3،ص:478،ط:دارالکتب العلمیۃ)۔