Separating from a Wife for a Compensation ; and Divorce - Section 1

Ibn ‘Abbas told that the wife of Thabit b. Qais came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “Messenger of God, I do not reproach Thabit b. Qais in respect of character or religion, but I do not want to be guilty of infidelity* regarding Islam.” God’s Messenger asked her if she would give him back his garden, and when she replied that she would, he told him to accept the garden and make one declaration of divorce. * Meaning she did not like him and so was afraid she might not show him the respect due to a husband. <i>Kufran</i>, translated ‘infidelity’, can also mean ‘ingratitude’. Bukhari transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ ثَابِتِ بْنِ قِيسٍ أَتَتِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ مَا أَعْتِبُ عَلَيْهِ فِي خُلُقٍ وَلَا دِينٍ وَلَكِنِّي أَكْرَهُ الْكُفْرَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَتَرُدِّينَ عَلَيْهِ حَدِيقَتَهُ؟» قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اقْبَلِ الْحَدِيقَةَ وَطَلِّقْهَا تَطْلِيقَةً» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

'Abdallah b. ‘Umar said he divorced a wife of his while she was menstruating and that when ‘Umar mentioned the matter to God’s Messenger he became angry and said, “He must take her back and keep her till she is purified, then has another period and is purified. If it then seems good to him to divorce her he may do so when she is pure from the menstrual discharge before having intercourse with her, for that is the period of waiting which God has commanded for the divorce of women.” A version has, “Command him to take her back, then divorce her when she is pure from the menstrual discharge, or pregnant.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَةً لَهُ وَهِيَ حَائِضٌ فَذَكَرَ عُمَرُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَتَغَيَّظَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «ليراجعها ثمَّ يمْسِكهَا حَتَّى تطهر ثمَّ تحيض فَتطهر فَإِن بدا لَهُ أَنْ يُطْلِّقَهَا فَلْيُطْلِّقْهَا طَاهِرًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمَسَّهَا فَتِلْكَ الْعِدَّةُ الَّتِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُطْلَّقَ لَهَا النِّسَاءُ» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «مُرْهُ فَلْيُرَاجِعْهَا ثُمَّ لْيُطَلِّقْهَا طَاهِرًا أَوْ حَامِلًا»

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger gave them their choice and they chose God and His Messenger; so that was not reckoned as counting in any way to their divorce. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: خَيَّرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاخْتَرْنَا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَلَمْ يَعُدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا شَيْئًا

Ibn ‘Abbas said:

One makes atonement for something he has made unlawful for himself.* You have had a good example in God’s Messenger. * i.e. something not in itself unlawful. It is treated like an oath for breaking which atonement must be made. The Prophet’s example refers to his withdrawing from his wives for a period. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: فِي الْحَرَامِ يُكَفَّرُ لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ الله أُسْوَة حَسَنَة

'A'isha said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to spend time with Zainab daughter of Jahsh and that he once drank honey at her house, so Hafsa and she agreed that the one whom the Prophet (ﷺ) visited first should say, “I notice that you have an odour of the gum of the mimosa.* Have you eaten some?” When he visited one of them and she said that to him he replied, “Don’t worry; I drank some honey at the house of Zainab daughter of Jahsh, but I swear that I shall not do it again. Do not tell anyone of that.” [He said this] desiring to please his wives, and then there came down, “O prophet, why do you hold to be forbidden what God has made lawful for you, desiring to please your wives? (Al-Qur’an 66:1). *<i>Maghafir</i>; plural of <i>Mughfur</i>, is here used. It is the gum of a kind of mimosa called <i>‘urfut</i>, the odour of which is unpleasant. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَمْكُثُ عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ وَشَرِبَ عِنْدَهَا عَسَلًا فَتَوَاصَيْتُ أَنَا وَحَفْصَةُ أَنَّ أَيَّتَنَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلْتَقُلْ: إِنِّي أَجِدُ مِنْكَ رِيحَ مَغَافِيرَ أَكَلْتَ مَغَافِيرَ؟ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: «لَا بَأْسَ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ فَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ لَا تُخْبِرِي بِذَلِكِ أَحَدًا» يَبْتَغِي مرضاة أَزوَاجه فَنَزَلَتْ: (يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ الله لَك تبتغي مرضاة أَزوَاجك) الْآيَة

Thauban reported God's Messenger as saying, “If any woman asks her husband for divorce without some strong reason the odour of paradise will be forbidden to her.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَيُّمَا امْرَأَةٍ سَأَلَتْ زَوْجَهَا طَلَاقًا فِي غَيْرِ مَا بَأْسٍ فَحَرَامٌ عَلَيْهَا رَائِحَةُ الْجَنَّةِ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ والدارمي

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “The lawful thing which God hates most is divorce.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَبْغَضُ الْحَلَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ الطلاقُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘Ali reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “There is no divorce before marriage, no manumission till one has possession, no continuous fasting, no orphan hood after the age of puberty, no suckling after weaning, and no silence all day up to the night”.* * Observing a complete day's silence as a religious practice is rejected. It is transmitted in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i>.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا طَلَاقَ قَبْلَ نِكَاحٍ وَلَا عَتَاقَ إِلَّا بَعْدَ مِلْكٍ وَلَا وِصَالَ فِي صِيَامٍ وَلَا يُتْمَ بَعْدَ احْتِلَامٍ وَلَا رَضَاعَ بَعْدَ فِطَامٍ وَلَا صَمْتَ يَوْمٍ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ» . رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السُّنَّةِ

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No descendant of Adam may make a vow about what he does not possess, or set free what he does not possess, or divorce what he does not possess.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud added, “or sell what he does not possess.”

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا نَذْرَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ فِيمَا لَا يَمْلِكُ وَلَا عِتْقَ فِيمَا لَا يَمْلِكُ وَلَا طَلَاقَ فِيمَا لَا يَمْلِكُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَزَادَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ: «وَلَا بَيْعَ إِلَّا فِيمَا يملك»

Rukana b. 'Abd Yazid said he divorced his wife Suhaima absolutely and when the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed of that he said, “I swear by God that I meant it to be only a single utterance of divorce.” God’s Messenger asked him if that was so, and when he assured him that it was, he restored her to him. Then he divorced her the second time in the time of ‘Umar and the third time in the time of ‘Uthman. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, but only Abu Dawud mentioned the second and third time (See Abu Dawud’s <i>Sunan</i>, <i>Talaq</i>, 14).

وَعَنْ رُكَانَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ يَزِيدَ أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ سُهَيْمَةَ الْبَتَّةَ فَأَخْبَرَ بِذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم وَقَالَ: وَالله مَا أردتُ إِلَّا وَاحِدَةً فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتَ إِلَّا وَاحِدَةً؟» فَقَالَ ركانةُ: واللَّهِ مَا أردتُ إِلَّا وَاحِدَة فَرَدَّهَا إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَطَلَّقَهَا الثَّانِيَةَ فِي زَمَانِ عُمَرَ وَالثَّالِثَةَ فِي زَمَانِ عُثْمَانَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَذْكُرُوا الثانيةَ وَالثَّالِثَة

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “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.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a <i>hasan gharib</i> tradition.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جَدٌّ وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدُّ: النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّلَاقُ وَالرِّجْعَةُ

. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيب

‘A’isha told of hearing God’s Messenger say, “There is no divorce or emancipation in case of <i>ighlaq</i>." It is said that the meaning of <i>ighlaq</i> is “constraint”. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا طَلَاقَ وَلَا عَتَاقَ فِي إِغْلَاقٍ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَه قيل: معنى الإغلاق: الْإِكْرَاه

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Every divorce is allowable except that by an idiot or one whose mind is deranged.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a <i>gharib</i> tradition, and ‘Ata’ b. ‘Ajlan, the transmitter, is a weak authority whose traditions are rejected.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كُلُّ طَلَاقٍ جَائِزٌ إِلَّا طَلَاقَ الْمَعْتُوهِ وَالْمَغْلُوبِ عَلَى عَقْلِهِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَعَطَاءُ بْنُ عجلانَ الرَّاوي ضعيفٌ ذاهبُ الحَدِيث

Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three whose actions are not recorded:

a sleeper till he awakes, a boy till he reaches puberty, and an idiot till he is restored to reason.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it. Darimi transmitted it on the authority of 'A’isha, and Ibn Majah on the authority of both (i.e. ‘Ali and ‘A’isha’)

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّبِيِّ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ وَعَنِ الْمَعْتُوهِ حَتَّى يعقل

. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَرَوَاهُ الدَّارِمِيُّ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ عَنْهُمَا

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The divorce of a slave-woman consists in saying it twice, and her <i>'idda</i> period is two courses.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «طَلَاقُ الْأَمَةِ تَطْلِيقَتَانِ وَعِدَّتُهَا حَيْضَتَانِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Women who withdraw themselves from their husbands and women who persuade their husbands to divorce them for a compensation are hypocrites.”* *This type of separation should be by mutual consent. Nasa’i transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الْمُنْتَزِعَاتُ وَالْمُخْتَلِعَاتُ هُنَّ الْمُنَافِقَاتُ» . رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

Nafi’ quoted a client to Safiya daughter of Abu ‘Ubaid to the effect that she got a divorce from her husband in return for everything she possessed and that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar made no objection to that. Malik transmitted it.

وَعَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ مَوْلَاةٍ لِصَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ أَنَّهَا اخْتَلَعَتْ مِنْ زَوْجِهَا بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَهَا فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ ذَلِكَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عمر. رَوَاهُ مَالك

Mahmud b. Labid told that when God’s Messenger was informed about a man who had divorced his wife declaring it three times without any interval between them, he arose in anger and said, “Is sport being made of the Book of God who is great and glorious while I am among you?" As a result a man got up and said, “Messenger of God, shall I kill him?" Nasa’i transmitted it.

حَدِيث رِجَاله ثِقَات وَعَن مَحْمُود بن لبيد قل: أَخْبَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثَلَاثَ تَطْلِيقَاتٍ جَمِيعًا فَقَامَ غَضْبَانَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَيُلْعَبُ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِكُمْ؟» حَتَّى قَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَا أَقْتُلُهُ؟ . رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

Malik told of hearing that a man said to ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas, “I have divorced my wife, uttering the divorce a hundred times, so what do you think I have made myself liable for?” Ibn ‘Abbas replied, “She was divorced from you by three utterances, and by ninety-seven you have made a mockery of God’s verses.” He transmitted it in <i>al- Muwatta’</i>.

وَعَن مَالك بلغه رَجُلًا قَالَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: إِنِّي طَلَّقْتُ امْرَأَتِي مِائَةَ تَطْلِيقَةٍ فَمَاذَا تَرَى عَلَيَّ؟ فَقَالَ ابْن عَبَّاس: طلقت مِنْك ثَلَاث وَسَبْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ اتَّخَذْتَ بِهَا آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا. رَوَاهُ فِي الْمُوَطَّأ

Mu'adh b. Jabal told that God’s Messenger said to him, “Mu'adh, God has created nothing on the face of the earth dearer to Him than emancipation, and God has created nothing on the face of the earth more hateful to Him than divorce.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا مُعَاذُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ شَيْئًا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْعَتَاقِ وَلَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ شَيْئًا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَبْغَضَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الطَّلاقِ» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ