Answered by shaykh Yusuf Badat
Question:
A wife is saying that her husband gave divorce three times at three separate occasions. The husband says he only gave it once. Even though he is confessing he said to her most recently ‘I am giving you the third ṭalāq’. There is recorded evidence produced wherein the husband is telling his mother and his wife ‘This is the second and we better get things settled before I issue the third’ (This recording was from 20 odd days before he said ‘I am giving you the third ṭalāq’). Husband is insisting he only gave it once. The husband does have anger issues however there is no medical history to prove insanity or loss of memory.
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allāh, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Thank you/ Jazāk Allāh Khayr for contacting Mathabah Institute
In the described situation, the divorce is effective and final.
In general situations when there is a dispute between the husband and wife about the pronouncements of divorce, the husband’s word is taken after he swears an oath. However, in the described situation the recorded evidence substantiates the testimony of the wife. Circumstantial evidence such as the husband saying, “I am giving you the third divorce.” also proves the same.
I have had the opportunity to listen to the recording and consult several muslim jurists (muftīs) in the described situation. Based on all the statements and the evidence, the marriage has terminated and the husband and wife are no longer in a nikāḥ. The islamic marriage (nikāḥ) is broken. The couple cannot reconcile.
It is also worthy to note that if a wife is confident that the husband is lying about the three pronouncements of divorce, it is sinful for her to remain in the marriage, especially when evidence proves the pronouncements. – (See: Al-Baḥr Al-Rāiq, Vol. 4, Page 63 Dār Al-Kitāb Al-Islāmīy, Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 3, Page 305 and 421, Dār Al-Fikr, Fatāwā Dār Al-‘Ulūm Zakariyya, Vol 4, Page 113, South Africa)
“And if he has divorced her [for the third time], then she is not lawful to him afterward until [after] she marries a husband other than him. And if the latter husband divorces her [or dies] there is no blame upon the woman and her former husband for returning to each other if they think that they can keep [within] the limits of Allāh. These are the limits of Allāh, which He makes clear to a people who know.” – (Qur’ān 2:230)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There are three things which, whether undertaken seriously or in jest, are treated as serious; marriage, divorce and taking back a wife [after a divorce which is not final].” – (Abū Dāwūd 2194)
Only Allāh knows best
وَلَوْ طَلَّقَهَا ثَلَاثًا وَأَنْكَرَ لَهَا أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ بِآخَرَ، وَتُحَلِّلُ نَفْسَهَا سِرًّا مِنْهُ إذَا غَابَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَإِذَا رَجَعَ الْتَمَسَتْ مِنْهُ تَجْدِيدَ النِّكَاحِ لِشَكٍّ خَالَجَ قَلْبَهَا لَا لِإِنْكَارِ الزَّوْجِ النِّكَاحَ، وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ خِلَافًا فَرَقَمَ لِلْأَصْلِ بِأَنَّهَا إنْ قَدَرَتْ عَلَى الْهُرُوبِ مِنْهُ لَمْ يَسَعْهَا أَنْ تَعْتَدَّ، وَتَتَزَوَّجَ بِآخَرَ لِأَنَّهَا فِي حُكْمِ زَوْجِيَّةِ الْأَوَّلِ قَبْلَ الْقَضَاءِ بِالْفُرْقَةِ ثُمَّ رَمَزَ شَمْسُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْأُوزْجَنْدِيُّ، وَقَالَ قَالُوا هَذَا فِي الْقَضَاءِ، وَلَهَا ذَلِكَ دِيَانَةً، وَكَذَلِكَ إنْ سَمِعَتْهُ طَلَّقَهَا ثَلَاثًا ثُمَّ جَحَدَ، وَحَلَفَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ، وَرَدَّهَا الْقَاضِي عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَسَعْهَا الْمَقَامُ مَعَهُ، وَلَمْ يَسَعْهَا أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ بِغَيْرِهِ أَيْضًا قَالَ يَعْنِي الْبَدِيعَ وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّهُ جَوَابُ شَمْسِ الْإِسْلَامِ الْأُوزْجَنْدِيِّ وَنَجْمِ الدِّينِ النَّسَفِيِّ وَالسَّيِّدِ أَبِي شُجَاعٍ وَأَبِي حَامِدٍ وَالسَّرَخْسِيِّ يَحِلُّ لَهَا أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ بِزَوْجٍ آخَرَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَعَلَى جَوَابِ الْبَاقِينَ لَا يَحِلُّ انْتَهَى، وَفِي الْفَتَاوَى السِّرَاجِيَّةِ إذَا أَخْبَرَهَا ثِقَةٌ أَنَّ الزَّوْجَ طَلَّقَهَا، وَهُوَ غَائِبٌ وَسِعَهَا أَنْ تَعْتَدَّ وَتَتَزَوَّجَ، وَلَمْ يُقَيِّدْهُ بِالدِّيَانَةِ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ الْمُصَنِّفُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ نُقِلَ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ شَرْحِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ مَا صُورَتُهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثَلَاثًا وَغَابَ عَنْهَا فَلَهَا أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ بِزَوْجٍ آخَرَ بَعْدَ الْعِدَّةِ دِيَانَةً وَنَقَلَ آخَرُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ فِي الْمَذْهَبِ الصَّحِيحِ اهـ قُلْت إنَّمَا رُقِمَ لِشَمْسِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْأُوزْجَنْدِيِّ، وَهُوَ الْمُوَافِقُ لِمَا تَقَدَّمَ عَنْهُ، وَالْقَائِلُ بِأَنَّهُ الْمَذْهَبُ الصَّحِيحُ الْعَلَاءُ التَّرْجُمَانِيُّ ثُمَّ رُقِمَ بَعْدَهُ لِعُمَرَ النَّسَفِيِّ، وَقَالَ حَلَفَ بِثَلَاثَةٍ فَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَحْنَثْ، وَعَلِمَتْ الْحِنْثَ، وَظَنَّتْ أَنَّهَا لَوْ أَخْبَرَتْهُ يُنْكِرُ الْيَمِينَ فَإِذَا غَابَ عَنْهَا بِسَبَبٍ مِنْ الْأَسْبَابِ فَلَهَا التَّحَلُّلُ دِيَانَةً لَا قَضَاءً قَالَ عُمَرُ النَّسَفِيُّ سَأَلْت عَنْهَا السَّيِّدَ أَبَا شُجَاعٍ فَكَتَبَ أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ ثُمَّ سَأَلْته بَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ فَقَالَ إنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ إنَّمَا أَجَابَ فِي امْرَأَةٍ لَا يَوْثُقُ بِهَا اهـ – كتاب البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ج٤/ ص ٦٣ دار الكتاب الإسلامي
أَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ كَالْقَاضِي لَا يَحِلُّ لَهَا أَنْ تُمَكِّنَهُ إذَا عَلِمَتْ مِنْهُ مَا ظَاهِرُهُ خِلَافُ مُدَّعَاهُ – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج٣/ ص٣٠٥ دار الفكر
سَمِعَتْ مِنْ زَوْجِهَا أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَهَا وَلَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى مَنْعِهِ مِنْ نَفْسِهَا إلَّا بِقَتْلِهِ لَهَا قَتْلُهُ بِدَوَاءٍ خَوْفَ الْقِصَاصِ وَلَا تَقْتُلُ نَفْسَهَا وَقَالَ الْأُوزَجَنْدِيُّ تَرْفَعُ الْأَمْرَ لِلْقَاضِي فَإِنْ حَلَفَ وَلَا بَيِّنَةَ فَالْإِثْمُ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَتَلَتْهُ فَلَا شَيْءَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْبَائِنُ كَالثَّلَاثِ وَفِيهَا شَهِدَا أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَهَا ثَلَاثًا لَهَا التَّزَوُّجُ بِآخَرَ لِلتَّحْلِيلِ لَوْ غَائِبًا انْتَهَى قُلْت يَعْنِي دِيَانَةً وَالصَّحِيحُ عَدَمُ الْجَوَازِ قُنْيَةٌ وَفِيهَا لَوْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ هُوَ أَنْ يَتَخَلَّصَ عَنْهَا وَلَوْ غَابَ سَحَرَتْهُ وَرَدَّتْهُ إلَيْهَا لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ قَتْلُهَا وَيَبْعُدُ عَنْهَا جُهْدَهُ وَقِيلَ لَا تَقْتُلُهُ قَائِلُهُ الْإِسْبِيجَابِيُّ وَبِهِ يُفْتَى كَمَا فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة وَشَرْحِ الْوَهْبَانِيَّةِ عَنْ الْمُلْتَقَطِ أَيْ وَالْإِثْمُ عَلَيْهِ كَمَا مَرَّ – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي ج٣/ ص٤٢١ دار الفكر
فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُ مِن بَعْدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُ ۗ فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَن يَتَرَاجَعَا إِن ظَنَّا أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ يُبَيِّنُهَا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ – البقرة ٢٣٠
ثَلاَثٌ جِدُّهُنَّ جِدٌّ وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جِدٌّ النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّلاَقُ وَالرَّجْعَةُ – أبو داؤد ٢١٩٤
