Question:
Country: Canada
As salamu alaykum. I have been married for 5 years, and we have a 1-year-old baby girl. My husband and I have had too many complications and problems, and I’ve wanted to leave this marriage for a while now. He admitted to recently being involved with another woman and upon him revealing that, I said I wanted talaq. He then gave me the talaq. I have 2 questions regarding this situation:
1. I was at the end of my menses (last day) so not exactly in a state of purity. Is the talaq still valid?
2. He says he didn’t mean it and wants to take me back and is trying to work things out (I have no interest in doing so) however before leaving the house to go stay with his parents, he gave me a hug and kiss on the forehead. Does this revoke the talaq?
I have no desire in getting back with my husband and want this talaq to go through. I am currently making arrangements to pack mine and my daughter’s stuff and return to my parents. Please advise. JazakAllah khair.
Update:
Al salam alaykum,
His exact words were “you are divorced” in Arabic. Right after he packed his stuff to leave and go stay with his parents, he hugged me and gave me a kiss on the forehead and that’s why I want to know if it is still valid.
(Question published as received)
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
In light of the details provided by you, we understand that your husband gave you one ṭalāq rajʿī (a revocable divorce). A ṭalāq rajʿī can be revoked within ʿiddah. You state that your husband hugged and kissed you before leaving the house. If he did this with shahwah (i.e. with desire), then this will be regarded as revocation and thus you will remain in his nikāḥ. He will have two more divorces left.
Divorce given in ḥayḍ (menses) is valid.
And Allah knows best
(Mufti) Bilal al-Mahmudi
17 Shaʿbān 1446 / 16 February 2025
Concurred by: Mufti Zameelur Rahman
وَهُوَ كَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ وَمُطَلَّقَةٌ وَطَلَّقْتُك وَتَقَعُ وَاحِدَةٌ رَجْعِيَّةٌ وَإِنْ نَوَى الْأَكْثَرَ أَوْ الْإِبَانَةَ أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ شَيْئًا كَذَا فِي الْكَنْزِ. (الفتاوى الهندية، ج١، ص ٣٥٤)
وَأَمَّا رُكْنُ الرَّجْعَةِ فَهُوَ قَوْلٌ أَوْ فِعْلٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى الرَّجْعَةِ: أَمَّا الْقَوْلُ فَنَحْوُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهَا: رَاجَعْتُك أَوْ رَدَدْتُك أَوْ رَجَعْتُك أَوْ أَعَدْتُك أَوْ رَاجَعْت امْرَأَتِي أَوْ رَاجَعْتهَا أَوْ رَدَّدْتهَا أَوْ أَعَدْتهَا، وَنَحْوُ ذَلِكَ؛ لِأَنَّ الرَّجْعَةَ رَدٌّ، وَإِعَادَةٌ إلَى الْحَالَةِ الْأُولَى، وَلَوْ قَالَ لَمَّا نَكَحْتُك أَوْ تَزَوَّجْتُك كَانَ رَجْعَةً فِي ظَاهِرِ الرِّوَايَةِ…. وَأَمَّا الْفِعْلُ الدَّالُّ عَلَى الرَّجْعَةِ فَهُوَ أَنْ يُجَامِعَهَا أَوْ يَمَسَّ شَيْئًا مِنْ أَعْضَائِهَا لِشَهْوَةٍ أَوْ يَنْظُرَ إلَى فَرْجِهَا عَنْ شَهْوَةٍ أَوْ يُوجَدَ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ هَهُنَا عَلَى مَا بَيَّنَّا. (بدائع الصنائع، ج٣، ص١٨٣)
واما الرّجْعَة الفعلية فَهِيَ عَليّ سَبْعَة أوجه: أحدهما الْجِمَاع فِي الْفرج. وَالثَّانِي الْجِمَاع فِيمَا دون الْفرج. وَالثَّالِث بالمعانقة. وَالرَّابِع بِالْمُبَاشرَةِ. وَالْخَامِس باللمس. وَالسَّادِس بالتقبيل. وَالسَّابِع بِالنّظرِ الى الْفرج إذا كَانَت هَذِه كلهَا بِشَهْوَة. (النتف في الفتاوى للسغدي، ج١، ص٣٢٥-٣٢٦)