Fatwa No : 90271

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, Respected Mufti Sahib, I hope you are well. I am writing to seek Islamic guidance regarding a sensitive marital issue, and I sincerely request your help. During an argument, my husband and I were both very angry. I repeatedly asked him to “leave me” out of anger. In response, he said words similar to “I have left you.” However, he did NOT use the word “talaq” at any time. There was no clear intention from his side to give divorce. It was said only in anger and emotional pressure. Later, we both regretted the situation and promised each other never to use such words again. My questions are: Does such a statement count as a valid Islamic divorce (talaq)? Since the word “talaq” was not pronounced and there was no intention, does our marriage still remain valid in Shariah? I am very worried and want to make sure we are living together in a halal and correct Islamic manner. I would be very grateful for your guidance. JazakAllahu Khairan.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

In the referred case, if the husband, in response to the wife’s demand, uttered the words “I have left you” only once, then one revocable divorce (ṭalāq rajʿī) has taken effect upon the wife, even if the husband did not intend divorce. After this, the husband has the right to take her back (rujūʿ) during the waiting period (ʿiddah). Therefore, if after this divorce they lived together as husband and wife, then reconciliation (rujūʿ) has taken place between them, and their marital bond remains valid as before. Their living together is also permissible. However, for the future, the husband will have the right to only two remaining divorces; therefore, in future, great caution should be exercised in matters of divorce.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی رد المحتار: تحت قوله حرام فاذا قال رها كردم اي سرحتك يقع به الرجعي مع انه اصله كناية ايضا وما ذلك الا لانه غلب في عرف الفرس استعماله في الطلاق من اي لغة كانت اھ (باب الكنايات ج: 3 ص: 299 ط سعيد)
وفی الهندية: الرجعة ابقاء النكاح على ما كان ما دامت في العدة كذا في التبيين وهي على ضربين سني وبدعي فالسني ان يراجعها بالقول ويشهد على رجعتها شاهدين ويعلمها بذلك فاذا راجعها بالقول نحو ان يقول لها راجعتك او راجعت امراتي ولم يشهد على ذلك او اشهد ولم يعلمها بذلك فهو بدعي مخالف للسنة والرجعة صحيحة وان راجعها بالفعل مثل ان يطأها او يقبلها بشهوة او ينظر الى فرجها بشهوة فانه يصير مراجعا عندنا اھ (الباب السادس في الرجعة ج: 1 ص: 468 ط: ماجدية)
وفی الھندیۃ : الرجعۃ ابقاء النکاح علی ما کان ما دامت فی العدۃ کذافی التبیین وھی علی ضربین سنی و بدعی فالسنی ان یراجعھا بالقول و یشھد علی رجعتھا شاھدین و یعلمھا بذلک فاذا راجعھا بالقول نحو ان یقول لھا راجعتک او راجعت امراتی ولم یشھد علی ذلک او اشھد ولم یعلمھا بذلک فھو بدعی مخالف للسنۃ والرجعۃ صحیحۃ وان راجعھا بالفعل مثل ان یطاھا او یقبلھا بشھوۃ او ینظر الی فرجھا بشھوۃ فانہ یصیر مراجعا عندنا (الباب السادس فی الرجعۃ ، ج : 1 ، ص : 468 ، ط : ماجدیہ