Three Divorces in One Day: Rajʿi or Bā’in? Sharʿi Ruling and Evidences
Source: Aḥkām wa Masā’il, Ṭalāq ke Masā’il, Vol. 1, p. 347
Questions & Answers regarding the Sharʿi Rulings of Divorce
❖ Question ①
«زَيْدٌ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ فِی الْوَقْتِ الصُّبْحِ طَلاَقًا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ طَلَّقَ فِیْ وَقْتِ الظُّهُرِ طَلاَقًا آخَرَ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَ طَلاَقًا آخَرَ فِیْ وَقْتِ الْعَصْرِ هَلْ تُعَدُّ تِلْکَ الطَّلَقَاتُ الثَّلاَثُ فِیْ يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ طَلاَقًا وَاحِدًا رَجْعِيًّا اَوْ طَلاَقًا ثَلاَثاً بَائِنًا»
Translation:
Zaid divorced his wife once in the morning, then gave a second divorce at Ẓuhr, and a third divorce at ʿAṣr. Will these three divorces in one day be considered as one rajʿi divorce, or will they amount to three irrevocable divorces (bā’in)?
❖ Question ②
«زَيْدٌ کَتَبَ کِتَابًا لِاِمْرَأَتِهِ بِاَنْتِ بَائِنٌ وَمَا اَرَادَ بَاَنْتِ بَائِنٌ اِلاَّ طَلاَقًا وَاحِدًا رَجْعِيًّا ثُمَّ اَمْسَکَ زَيْدٌ هٰذَا مَعَهُ وَکَتَبَ مَکَانَهُ خَطًّا آخَرَ فیْ مَجْلِسٍ آخَرَ بِاَنْتِ طَالِقٌ ۔ هَلْ يَقَعُ فِیْ هٰذِهِ الصُّوْرَةِ طَلاَقَانِ اَوْ وَاحِدٌ وَالْحَالُ اَنَّ الْمُطَلِّقَ غَيَّرَ لَفْظَ بَائِنٍ اِلٰی طَالِقٍ بِغَيْرِ نِيَّةِ اِيْقَاعِ الطَّلاَقِ الثَّانِیْ»
Translation:
Zaid wrote to his wife in a letter the words “أنتِ بائنٌ” and by this he intended only one rajʿi divorce. He then kept that letter with him and later, in another sitting, he wrote another letter containing the words “أنتِ طالقٌ.” In this situation, will one divorce take place or two? Considering that he changed the word “بائنٌ” to “طالقٌ” without the intention of issuing a second divorce.
✿ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
Explanation of First Case
✔ The first divorce is rajʿi.
✔ The second divorce is also rajʿi.
✔ After the third divorce, the right of return (rujūʿ) is terminated.
✔ The woman will no longer remain lawful for the husband.
✔ She will not become lawful again until she marries another man in a valid marriage free from the condition of taḥlīl.
Evidence:
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿اَلطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاکٌ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيْحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ﴾
And this “tasrīḥ” (release) refers to divorce, as explained by the Prophet ﷺ.
(See Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr and other Tafāsīr)
Explanation of Second Case
✔ Here, the intention of Zaid will be taken into account.
✔ If the wife was madkhūl bihā (consummated marriage), then only one rajʿi divorce will take place.
✔ The second writing “أنتِ طالقٌ” though written later, since there was no intention of a second divorce, will not count as another divorce.
❖ Summary
① In the first case, all three divorces will be valid, and the woman will not be permissible for her husband until she marries another man.
② In the second case, only one rajʿi divorce will take place (if the wife was madkhūl bihā).
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
