Islamic Ruling on Verbal Triple Divorce
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 801
Asked by:
Muhammad Ṣādiq (son of Faqīr Muhammad, tribe Changar), resident of Ward No. 8, Shahkot, Tehsil Jaranwala, District Faisalabad, posed the following query to the scholars:
“Approximately 3 years and 2 months ago, I married my daughter, Zahra Bibi, to Muhammad ʿĀrif (son of Jān Muhammad, tribe Changar), resident of Sultan Abad, Shah Road, Gujrat.
After the marriage, my daughter lived intermittently at her husband’s home for about one month.
However, domestic disputes arose during the marriage, and in a fit of anger, her husband verbally declared 'ṭalāq, ṭalāq, ṭalāq' three times.
This incident occurred about 3 years and 1 month ago, and the husband has not reconciled since.
My daughter has been living with me ever since.
My question is:
Has the triple verbal divorce issued by her husband taken effect according to Islamic law?
Kindly provide a response with Sharʿī evidences for our satisfaction.
If any part of the narration is incorrect, I bear full responsibility.
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، أما بعد:
If the question is truthful and supported by reliable witnesses, then based on the information provided, the divorce is valid and the marriage has been terminated.
Verbal or written, when divorce is given according to Sharʿī principles, it becomes effective. This ruling is firmly established through authentic narrations:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَتَكَلَّمْ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, p. 794, Bāb al-Aghlāf fī al-Ṭalāq wa al-Karāhiyya wa al-Nisyān)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمُوا أَوْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 78, Bāb Mā Tajāwaz Allāh ʿan Ḥadīth al-Nafs)
Translation:
"Allah has pardoned my Ummah for thoughts they hold in their hearts, so long as they do not act upon them or speak them aloud."
These narrations clearly indicate that uttering words verbally, like the word ṭalāq, has legal effect in Sharīʿah. Mere thoughts do not establish rulings.
"وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ: أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا حَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ بِالطَّلَاقِ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ حَتَّى يَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ."
(Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, Sharḥ al-Tirmidhī, Vol. 2, p. 215)
Translation:
According to the scholars, if a man merely thinks about divorce, it does not occur unless he verbally declares it.
"أجمع المسلمون على أن الطلاق يقع إذا كان بنية ولفظ صريح..."
(Bidāyat al-Mujtahid, Vol. 2, pp. 55–56)
Translation:
There is a consensus among Muslims that divorce becomes effective when declared with intent and clear wording.
"وجملة ذلك أن الطلاق لا يقع إلا بلفظ، فلو نواه بقلبه من غير لفظ لم يقع في قول عامة أهل العلم..."
(al-Mughnī, Vol. 7, p. 294)
Translation:
Divorce only takes place through spoken words. If it is intended in the heart without verbal utterance, it does not occur—this is the view of the majority of scholars.
✔ This is also supported by:
"يقع الطلاق بكل ما يدل على إنهاء العلاقة الزوجية سواء كان ذلك بلفظ أو بالكتابة إلى الزوجة أو بإشارة الأخرس أو بإرسال رسول."
(Fiqh al-Sunnah, Vol. 2, p. 216)
Translation:
Divorce is valid by any act or expression that signifies termination of the marital relationship—whether spoken, written, indicated by a mute person, or conveyed via a messenger.
Based on the authentic ḥadīths, the consensus of classical jurists, and fatāwā of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah:
☞ The triple verbal divorce mentioned in the case has indeed occurred.
☞ The marriage has ended, and the woman is no longer under the husband’s nikāḥ.
Since:
→ The woman is now free from the marital bond.
⚠ Note:
The issuing Muftī bears no responsibility for any legal or judicial consequences.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 801
❖ Question:
Asked by:
Muhammad Ṣādiq (son of Faqīr Muhammad, tribe Changar), resident of Ward No. 8, Shahkot, Tehsil Jaranwala, District Faisalabad, posed the following query to the scholars:
“Approximately 3 years and 2 months ago, I married my daughter, Zahra Bibi, to Muhammad ʿĀrif (son of Jān Muhammad, tribe Changar), resident of Sultan Abad, Shah Road, Gujrat.
After the marriage, my daughter lived intermittently at her husband’s home for about one month.
However, domestic disputes arose during the marriage, and in a fit of anger, her husband verbally declared 'ṭalāq, ṭalāq, ṭalāq' three times.
This incident occurred about 3 years and 1 month ago, and the husband has not reconciled since.
My daughter has been living with me ever since.
My question is:
Has the triple verbal divorce issued by her husband taken effect according to Islamic law?
Kindly provide a response with Sharʿī evidences for our satisfaction.
If any part of the narration is incorrect, I bear full responsibility.
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، أما بعد:
If the question is truthful and supported by reliable witnesses, then based on the information provided, the divorce is valid and the marriage has been terminated.
Verbal or written, when divorce is given according to Sharʿī principles, it becomes effective. This ruling is firmly established through authentic narrations:
✿ Evidences from Hadith and Scholarly Opinions:
① Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَتَكَلَّمْ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, p. 794, Bāb al-Aghlāf fī al-Ṭalāq wa al-Karāhiyya wa al-Nisyān)
② Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمُوا أَوْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 78, Bāb Mā Tajāwaz Allāh ʿan Ḥadīth al-Nafs)
Translation:"Allah has pardoned my Ummah for thoughts they hold in their hearts, so long as they do not act upon them or speak them aloud."
These narrations clearly indicate that uttering words verbally, like the word ṭalāq, has legal effect in Sharīʿah. Mere thoughts do not establish rulings.③ Explanation by Imām al-Tirmidhī:
"وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ: أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا حَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ بِالطَّلَاقِ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ حَتَّى يَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ."
(Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, Sharḥ al-Tirmidhī, Vol. 2, p. 215)
Translation:
According to the scholars, if a man merely thinks about divorce, it does not occur unless he verbally declares it.
④ Imām Ibn Rushd al-Qurṭubī said:
"أجمع المسلمون على أن الطلاق يقع إذا كان بنية ولفظ صريح..."
(Bidāyat al-Mujtahid, Vol. 2, pp. 55–56)
Translation:
There is a consensus among Muslims that divorce becomes effective when declared with intent and clear wording.
⑤ Imām Ibn Qudāmah said:
"وجملة ذلك أن الطلاق لا يقع إلا بلفظ، فلو نواه بقلبه من غير لفظ لم يقع في قول عامة أهل العلم..."
(al-Mughnī, Vol. 7, p. 294)
Translation:
Divorce only takes place through spoken words. If it is intended in the heart without verbal utterance, it does not occur—this is the view of the majority of scholars.
✔ This is also supported by:
- Imām Shāfiʿī
- Imām Isḥāq
- Imām Qāsim
- Imām Sālim
- Imām Ḥasan al-Baṣrī
- Imām ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī
(Refer: Fatāwā Nadhīriyyah, Vol. 3, p. 73)
⑥ Fatwa of the Ḥadīth Scholars:
- Shaykh al-Kull Sayyid Nadhīr Ḥusayn Dehlawī
- ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq Muḥaddith Multānī
Both affirmed that verbal divorce is binding.
⑦ Shaykh Muḥammad Sābiq al-Miṣrī wrote:
"يقع الطلاق بكل ما يدل على إنهاء العلاقة الزوجية سواء كان ذلك بلفظ أو بالكتابة إلى الزوجة أو بإشارة الأخرس أو بإرسال رسول."
(Fiqh al-Sunnah, Vol. 2, p. 216)
Translation:
Divorce is valid by any act or expression that signifies termination of the marital relationship—whether spoken, written, indicated by a mute person, or conveyed via a messenger.
⑧ Summary from Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband Fatāwā:
- Mawlānā Muḥammad Shafīʿ Deobandī affirms that verbal divorce takes effect.
(Fatāwā Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Vol. 2, p. 658)
Conclusion:
Based on the authentic ḥadīths, the consensus of classical jurists, and fatāwā of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah:
☞ The triple verbal divorce mentioned in the case has indeed occurred.
☞ The marriage has ended, and the woman is no longer under the husband’s nikāḥ.
Since:
- The husband verbally uttered "ṭalāq" three times,
- Over three years have passed without reconciliation,
→ The woman is now free from the marital bond.
⚠ Note:
The issuing Muftī bears no responsibility for any legal or judicial consequences.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
