Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: A man said to another, "You are very envious." The other replied, "Whichever of us is more envious, his wife is divorced." The first said, "Agreed." What is the ruling on this? Hazrat Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Both of you have suffered loss and both have made a mistake; the wives of both of you have been divorced.

Hazrat Harith (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I will leave this matter to their piety and will instruct them to fear Allah. And I will say that you both know best about the oath you have taken. He says that in this issue and similar matters, the door of piety is considered.

Hazrat Saeed, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked that two men saw a bird; one said that if this is not a crow, then his wife is thrice divorced, and the other said that if this is not a pigeon, then his wife is thrice divorced. So he narrated the saying of Hazrat Qatadah, who used to say that when the bird flew away and it was not known what it was, then neither this one should go near his wife nor that one should go near his wife.

Hazrat Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a situation where a bird passed by two men. One said, “If this is not a certain bird, then my wife is divorced,” and the other said, “If this is not a crow, then my wife is divorced,” and the bird flew away. Hazrat Sha’bi said that both should separate from their wives.