Excerpt from the book: Ahkām wa Masā'il Kitāb o Sunnat ki Roshni Mein by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbani
In a moment of anger, I gave my wife three divorces (ṭalāq) in one sitting. Her waiting period (ʿiddah) has not yet ended, and now we wish to reconcile.
Can we reunite without resorting to ḥalālah?
Please clarify with evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَٱلطَّلَـٰقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌۢ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ﴾
“Divorce is twice; then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 229]
This verse mentions two revocable divorces — after each, the man retains the right to reconcile during ʿiddah, or if ʿiddah ends, to remarry through a new nikāḥ.
The Arabic word "marraṭān" (twice) implies two separate instances of divorce — not three given simultaneously in one sitting.
As seen in other verses:
﴿... يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍۢ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ﴾
“…they are tested once or twice every year…”
[Surah at-Tawbah: 126]
And:
﴿... ثَلَـٰثَ مَرَّاتٍ ...﴾
“Three times: before Fajr, at midday rest, and after ʿIshāʾ.”
[Surah an-Nūr: 58]
These examples clearly show distinct occasions — not one instance repeated thrice in the same moment.
“The lawful divorce is one given separately, with intervals — not lumped together. The word ‘marraṭān’ refers to two separate events, not two combined in one.”
Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī (6/453)
So, giving three divorces in one sitting contradicts the divine method, and the correct ruling is that they count as one revocable divorce only.
Sayyidunā Maḥmūd ibn Labīd رضي الله عنه narrates:
"A man gave his wife three divorces at once, and it was reported to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He stood up angrily and said:
أَيُلْعَبُ بِكِتَابِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِكُمْ؟
“Is the Book of Allah being toyed with while I am still among you?”
Sunan al-Nasāʾī (3430); Fatḥ al-Bārī (9/362)
This authentic ḥadīth demonstrates that the Prophet ﷺ was angered at such misuse of divorce.
Rukānah رضي الله عنه divorced his wife three times in one sitting. Later, he felt deep regret and sorrow.
He came to the Prophet ﷺ, who asked:
"How did you divorce her?"
He said: "I gave her three divorces."
The Prophet ﷺ asked: "In one sitting?"
He replied: "Yes."
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"فَإِنَّمَا تِلْكَ وَاحِدَةٌ، فَارْجِعْهَا إِنْ شِئْتَ"
“That counts as only one, so return to her if you wish.”
So he did reconcile with her.
Musnad Aḥmad (1/215, Ḥadīth: 1387); Abū Yaʿlā (3/25); Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl (7/339); Fatḥ al-Bārī (9/363)
Sayyidunā Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
"During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه, and the first two years of ʿUmar’s رضي الله عنه caliphate, triple divorce was treated as only one.”
Later, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه saw that people were misusing this, so he enforced all three as binding as a disciplinary policy, not a legal ruling.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1472); Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (11336); also cited in Fatḥ al-Bārī
Even authoritative Ḥanafī books confirm that:
“In the early period, three divorces given at once were counted as one, until ʿUmar رضي الله عنه ruled otherwise as a political measure.”
Ḥāshiyat al-Ṭaḥṭāwī ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (2/100); Majmaʿ al-Anhar; Jāmiʿ al-Rumūz
Some versions state that it was done to warn and discipline the public — not to change the divinely established ruling.
Just as saying three acceptances does not create three marriages, likewise:
Saying “I divorce you” three times in one breath or sitting creates only one divorce, not three.
The idea that ḥalālah is required here is entirely false and against Sharīʿah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ ٱلْمُحَلِّلَ وَٱلْمُحَلَّلَ لَهُ"
“Allah curses the one who performs ḥalālah and the one for whom it is done.”
Musnad Aḥmad (2/323, Ḥadīth: 8270); Ibn Mājah; al-Nasāʾī (6/149); al-Tirmidhī (1120); al-Dārimī (2/81); Irwāʾ (7/208)
Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
"By Allah! If a ḥalālah man and woman are brought to me, I will stone them to death."
Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (2/265); Sunan Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr (2/49); Irwāʾ (7/208)
Sayyidunā Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
"Even if the ḥalālah couple stays together for a year, it is still zinā."
al-Mughnī of Ibn Qudāmah (1/10); al-Mustadrak (2/199); Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī (2/170)
Even Barelvi scholar Pīr Karam Shāh al-Azharī condemned ḥalālah strongly in Ziyāʾ al-Qurʾān and Daʿwat-e-Fikr-o-Naẓar, writing:
“Those who open the door to ḥalālah forget that the Prophet ﷺ cursed both the doer and the receiver.”
He even quoted the ḥadīth:
"ألا أخبركم بالتيس المستعار؟... هو المحلل، لعن الله المحلل والمحلل له"
“Shall I not inform you about the borrowed bull? That is the ḥalālah man — cursed is he and the one for whom he is doing it.”
Ibn Mājah
✔ If three divorces were given in one sitting,
✔ And the ʿiddah is not yet over,
✔ Then it counts as one revocable divorce,
✔ And reconciliation is allowed without ḥalālah.
No new nikāḥ is needed, and they may reunite within the ʿiddah.
Those who declare all three binding and advocate for ḥalālah are inviting people to a cursed and immoral act.
Such distortion of Sharīʿah is dangerous and unjust.
The one who aligns his belief and practice with Qur’an and Sunnah, may reconcile with his wife during ʿiddah after a triple divorce in one sitting — because it is only one divorce in the sight of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
❖ Question:
In a moment of anger, I gave my wife three divorces (ṭalāq) in one sitting. Her waiting period (ʿiddah) has not yet ended, and now we wish to reconcile.
Can we reunite without resorting to ḥalālah?
Please clarify with evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
◈ Divorce Is Twice (Ṭalāq Marraṭān)
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَٱلطَّلَـٰقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌۢ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ﴾
“Divorce is twice; then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 229]This verse mentions two revocable divorces — after each, the man retains the right to reconcile during ʿiddah, or if ʿiddah ends, to remarry through a new nikāḥ.
The Arabic word "marraṭān" (twice) implies two separate instances of divorce — not three given simultaneously in one sitting.
❖ Linguistic Clarification
As seen in other verses:
﴿... يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍۢ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ﴾
“…they are tested once or twice every year…”
[Surah at-Tawbah: 126]And:
﴿... ثَلَـٰثَ مَرَّاتٍ ...﴾
“Three times: before Fajr, at midday rest, and after ʿIshāʾ.”
[Surah an-Nūr: 58]These examples clearly show distinct occasions — not one instance repeated thrice in the same moment.
❖ Tafsir from Imām Sindhī رحمه الله:
“The lawful divorce is one given separately, with intervals — not lumped together. The word ‘marraṭān’ refers to two separate events, not two combined in one.”
Ḥāshiyat al-Sindī ʿalā al-Nasāʾī (6/453)So, giving three divorces in one sitting contradicts the divine method, and the correct ruling is that they count as one revocable divorce only.
❖ The Prophet ﷺ Condemned Triple Divorce in One Sitting
Sayyidunā Maḥmūd ibn Labīd رضي الله عنه narrates:
"A man gave his wife three divorces at once, and it was reported to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He stood up angrily and said:
أَيُلْعَبُ بِكِتَابِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِكُمْ؟
“Is the Book of Allah being toyed with while I am still among you?”
Sunan al-Nasāʾī (3430); Fatḥ al-Bārī (9/362)This authentic ḥadīth demonstrates that the Prophet ﷺ was angered at such misuse of divorce.
❖ Ḥadīth of Rukānah رضي الله عنه – Triple Divorce in One Sitting = One
Rukānah رضي الله عنه divorced his wife three times in one sitting. Later, he felt deep regret and sorrow.
He came to the Prophet ﷺ, who asked:
"How did you divorce her?"
He said: "I gave her three divorces."
The Prophet ﷺ asked: "In one sitting?"
He replied: "Yes."
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"فَإِنَّمَا تِلْكَ وَاحِدَةٌ، فَارْجِعْهَا إِنْ شِئْتَ"
“That counts as only one, so return to her if you wish.”
So he did reconcile with her.
Musnad Aḥmad (1/215, Ḥadīth: 1387); Abū Yaʿlā (3/25); Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl (7/339); Fatḥ al-Bārī (9/363)❖ Practice in the Prophet’s ﷺ Time
Sayyidunā Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
"During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه, and the first two years of ʿUmar’s رضي الله عنه caliphate, triple divorce was treated as only one.”
Later, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه saw that people were misusing this, so he enforced all three as binding as a disciplinary policy, not a legal ruling.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1472); Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (11336); also cited in Fatḥ al-Bārī❖ Ḥanafī Acknowledgment:
Even authoritative Ḥanafī books confirm that:
“In the early period, three divorces given at once were counted as one, until ʿUmar رضي الله عنه ruled otherwise as a political measure.”
Ḥāshiyat al-Ṭaḥṭāwī ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (2/100); Majmaʿ al-Anhar; Jāmiʿ al-RumūzSome versions state that it was done to warn and discipline the public — not to change the divinely established ruling.
❖ Triple Divorce ≠ Three Separate Divorces
Just as saying three acceptances does not create three marriages, likewise:
Saying “I divorce you” three times in one breath or sitting creates only one divorce, not three.
❖ Ḥalālah Is Forbidden and Cursed
The idea that ḥalālah is required here is entirely false and against Sharīʿah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ ٱلْمُحَلِّلَ وَٱلْمُحَلَّلَ لَهُ"
“Allah curses the one who performs ḥalālah and the one for whom it is done.”
Musnad Aḥmad (2/323, Ḥadīth: 8270); Ibn Mājah; al-Nasāʾī (6/149); al-Tirmidhī (1120); al-Dārimī (2/81); Irwāʾ (7/208)Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
"By Allah! If a ḥalālah man and woman are brought to me, I will stone them to death."
Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq (2/265); Sunan Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr (2/49); Irwāʾ (7/208)Sayyidunā Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
"Even if the ḥalālah couple stays together for a year, it is still zinā."
al-Mughnī of Ibn Qudāmah (1/10); al-Mustadrak (2/199); Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī (2/170)❖ Major Scholars Agree
Even Barelvi scholar Pīr Karam Shāh al-Azharī condemned ḥalālah strongly in Ziyāʾ al-Qurʾān and Daʿwat-e-Fikr-o-Naẓar, writing:
“Those who open the door to ḥalālah forget that the Prophet ﷺ cursed both the doer and the receiver.”
He even quoted the ḥadīth:
"ألا أخبركم بالتيس المستعار؟... هو المحلل، لعن الله المحلل والمحلل له"
“Shall I not inform you about the borrowed bull? That is the ḥalālah man — cursed is he and the one for whom he is doing it.”
Ibn Mājah
Final Ruling:
✔ If three divorces were given in one sitting,
✔ And the ʿiddah is not yet over,
✔ Then it counts as one revocable divorce,
✔ And reconciliation is allowed without ḥalālah.
No new nikāḥ is needed, and they may reunite within the ʿiddah.
Warning:
Those who declare all three binding and advocate for ḥalālah are inviting people to a cursed and immoral act.
Such distortion of Sharīʿah is dangerous and unjust.
🛡 Conclusion:
The one who aligns his belief and practice with Qur’an and Sunnah, may reconcile with his wife during ʿiddah after a triple divorce in one sitting — because it is only one divorce in the sight of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
