Divorce (At-Talâq)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹O Prophet! when you do divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed periods, and count their prescribed periods: and fear Allah your Lord: and turn them not out of their houses nor shall they leave except in case they are guilty of some open lewdness. Those are limits set by Allah: and any who transgresses the limits of Allah does verily, wrong his soul: you do not know if perchance Allah will bring about thereafter some new situation.¹

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Ya ayuhan nabiyu iza thallaq tumunisa a fathalliquhun na lid datihin na wa ahshul id data wat taqul laha rabbakum la yakhrujna illa ayatina bifahisyatim mubayinah wa tilka hududullah wa ma yataad da hududal lahi faqad zhalama nafsahudallaha yuhditsu bada zalika amra

1. Divorce is very easy in Islam. It is done by pronouncing “I divorce you” three times and the divorce is entered and final. For this reason then, men are told as a protection for women, that to divorce a woman one has to wait for three menstrual periods just in case the woman is pregnant, which may not be detected normally. She is not put out to jeopardize the life of the mother and the foetus. Sahih Al-Bukhari’s Hadith 7.178-179

Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar; ...that he had divorced his wife while she was menstruating during the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle. ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab asked Allah’s Apostle about that. Allah’s Apostle said, “Order him (your son) to take her back and keep her till she is clean and then to wait till she gets her next period and becomes clean again, whereupon, if he wishes to keep her, he can do so.  And

if he wishes to divorce her, he can divorce her before having sexual intercourse with her, and that is the prescribed period which Allah has fixed for the women meant to be divorced.”

Ibn ‘Umar said: “I divorced my wife while she was menstruating.” ‘Umar mentioned that to the Prophet. The Prophet said, (to my father), “Let your son take her back.” I asked (Ibn ‘Umar), “Is such a divorce counted (i.e. as one legal divorce)?” Ibn ‘Umar said, “Of course.” Narrated Yunus bin Jubair: Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Prophet said to ‘Umar, ‘Order him (Ibn ‘Umar) to take her back.’ I asked, “Is such a divorce counted (as one legal divorce)?” Ibn ‘Umar said, “What do you think if someone becomes helpless and foolish?”

Al-Muwatta’s Hadith 29.9:

Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard Ibn Shihab say that if a man said to his wife, “You are free of me, and I am free of you, “ it counted as three pronouncements of divorce as if it were an ‘irrevocable’ divorce. Malik said that if a man made any strong statement such as these to his wife, it counted as three pronouncements of divorce for a woman whose marriage had been consummated, or it was written as one of three for a woman whose marriage had not been consummated, whichever the man wished. If he said he intended only one divorce he swore to it and he became one of the suitors because, whereas a woman whose marriage had been consummated was made inaccessible by three pronouncements of divorce, the woman whose marriage had not been consummated was made inaccessible by only one pronouncement. Malik said, “That is the best of what I have heard.”

²Thus when they fulfill their term appointed, either take them back on equitable terms or part with them on equitable terms; and take for witness two persons from among you endued with justice and establish the evidence before Allah. Such is the admonition given to him who believes in Allah and the last day. And for those who fear Allah He prepares a way out.

³And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah sufficient is He for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.

²Fa iza balagna ajalahun na faamsi kuhun na bimarufin au fariquhun na bimarufiwwa ashidu zawai adlim minkum wa aqimus sahadata lillahi zalikum yuazhubihi man kana yuminu billahi walyaumil akhir wa mayataqillaha yajal lahu makhraja

³Wa yarzuqhu min haisu la yahtasib wa mayatakwakal alallahi fa huwa hasbuh innallaha baligu amrih qad jaalallahu likulli saiin qadra

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴Such of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses for them the prescribed period if you have any doubt, is three months, and for those who have no courses: for those who carry life within their wombs their period is until they deliver their burdens: and for those who fear Allah He will make their path easy.

⁵That is the command of Allah which He has sent down to you: and if anyone fears Allah He will remove his ills from him and will enlarge His reward.

⁶Let the women live in the same style as you live according to your means: annoy them not so as to restrict them. And if they carry life in their wombs then spend your substance on them until they deliver their burden: and if they suckle your offspring give them their recompense: and take mutual counsel together according to what is just and reasonable. And if you find yourselves in difficulties, let another woman suckle the child on the father’s behalf.

⁴Wallai ya isna minal mahidi minisa ikum inir tabtum faid datuhuna salasatu ashuriw wal lai lam yahidn wa ulatul ahmali ajalahuna ayadana hamlahun wa ma yataqil laha yajallahu min amrihi yusra

⁵Zalika amrul lahi anzalahu ilaikum wa mayat taqil laha yukafir anhu sayi atihi wa yuzim lahu ajra

⁶Askinuhunna min haisu sakantum miwujdikum wa la tudha ruhuna litudayiqu alihin wa inkun na ula_ti hamlin fa anfiqu alaihin na hata yadana hamlahuna fa inardana lakum fa atuhuna ujurahun na wa tamiru bainakum bimarufi wa intaasartum fasaturdiu lahu ukhra

[Commentary continues below.]

⁷Let the man of means spend according to his means: and the man whose resources are restricted let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. After a difficulty, Allah will soon grant relief.

⁸How many populations that insolently opposed the command of their Lord and of His apostles did We not then call to account to severe account? And We imposed on them an exemplary punishment.

⁹Then did they taste the evil result of their conduct and the end of their conduct was perdition.

¹⁰Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. Therefore fear Allah, O you men of understanding who have believed! for Allah has indeed sent down to you a message.

⁷Liyunfiq zu saatim minsaatih wa man qudira alaihi rizquhu falyunfiq mim ma atahul lah la yukal lifullahu nafsan illa ma ataha sayajalul lahu bada usriyusra

⁸Wa ka ayim min qaryatin atat an amri rabbiha wa rusulihi fahasabnaha hisaban sadidaw wa azzabnaha azaban nukra

⁹Fazaqat wabala amriha wa kana aqibatu amriha khusra

¹⁰Aad dallahu lahum azaban sadidan fataqul laha ya ulil albabil lazina amanu qad anzalal lahu ilaikum zikra

[Commentary continues below.]

¹¹An apostle who rehearses to you the signs of Allah containing clear explanations that he may lead forth those who believe and do righteous deeds from the depths of darkness into light. And those who believe in Allah and work righteousness He will admit to gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein forever: Allah has indeed granted for them a most excellent provision.

¹²Allah is He who created seven firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them descends His command: that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah comprehends all things in His Knowledge.²

¹¹Rasulayatlu alaikum ayatil lahi mubayinatil liyukrijal lazina amanu wa amilush salihati minaz zulumati ilan nur wa mayumin billahi wa yamal salihay yudkilhu jannatin tajri min tahtihal anharu kalidina fiha abada qad ahsanal lahu lahu rizqa

¹²Allahul lazi halaqa saba samawatiw wa minal ardi mitslahun yatanaz zalul amru bainahuna litalamu annallaha ala kulli syai in qadiruw wa annallaha qad ahata bikuli saiin ilma

2. Are there really seven heavens and seven earths as claimed by Allah? There are neither seven heavens nor seven earths. There are numerous planets and galaxies and with every new powerful telescope invented, other planets and galaxies are discovered every year which hitherto were not known before. However, there is only one heaven and one earth, a scientifically established fact, a fact known by humans, but which Allah has no idea of.