Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Abu Razeen (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "In the verse of the Holy Qur'an { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ }, two divorces are mentioned; where is the third divorce?" He (the Prophet) replied, "To retain (the wife) with kindness or to release (her) with good treatment is the third divorce."

Hazrat Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a man said to his wife, "I will neither come near you nor will you be able to leave my marriage." The woman asked, "How will you do that?" The man replied, "I will divorce you, and when the time for your waiting period (iddah) is about to end, I will take you back." The woman, distressed, went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and on this occasion, the verse of the Holy Qur'an {إمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } was revealed. After that, people’s situation was such that either they had given divorce or they had not given divorce. (There was no intermediate state.)

Hazrat Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that when a person wishes to divorce his wife, he should give her two divorces, then if he wishes to take her back, he may do so, and if he wishes, he may give one divorce. After this third divorce, that woman is not lawful for that husband until she marries another man.

Hazrat Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that when a man gives his wife one divorce, he may, if he wishes, restore the marriage with her. And when he gives two divorces, he may, if he wishes, restore the marriage with her. And when he gives the third divorce, then that woman is not lawful for him until she marries another man.

Hazrat Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that a man should divorce his wife in such a period of purity in which he has not had intercourse with her. Then, when she experiences menstruation and then becomes pure again, one 'qur’' is completed. Then he should give her the second divorce in the same way as he gave the first divorce, if he wishes to do so. Then, when he gives the second divorce and she experiences the second menstruation, these are two divorces and two 'qur’'. Then Allah Almighty says about the third divorce that { فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ } Then, in this entire 'qur’', if he wishes, he may divorce her until the woman gathers her clothes.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ، أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ }, says that it refers to separation and annulment, not divorce. Allah Almighty has mentioned divorce at the beginning and end of the verse, and in between has mentioned khula, which is not divorce. Allah Almighty says { الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ، أَوْ تَسْرِیحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ }

Hazrat Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { لَعَلَّ اللَّہَ یُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ أَمْرًا }, says that it refers to that which comes after three.

Hazrat Dahhak (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { لَعَلَّ اللَّہَ یُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ أَمْرًا } of the Holy Qur'an, says that what is meant by this is that perhaps he may return to her during the waiting period ('iddah).

Hazrat Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him), in the commentary of the verse { لاَ تَدْرِی لَعَلَّ اللَّہَ یُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ أَمْرًا } of the Holy Qur'an, says that it means you do not know; perhaps later you may regret and a way of return may be made for you.