Source: Fatawa Aman Puri by Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Aman Puri
Question:
What is the correct method of divorce?
Answer:
The person who wants to divorce his wife should give her one divorce during a period of purity in which he has not had sexual relations with her. This is also called a Sunnah divorce. In this case, the woman's waiting period (iddah) is three months, during which the husband has the right to reconcile. After the waiting period, he can remarry her through a new marriage contract, and he still has two rights of divorce remaining. Similarly, if he gives the second divorce, he can reconcile during the waiting period and can remarry her after the waiting period with a new marriage contract. These two divorces are called revocable divorces, after which reconciliation or renewal of marriage can take place. After these, one right of divorce remains; if the husband uses that right as well, then there is no room for reconciliation, and he cannot remarry her through a new marriage contract.
It is regrettable to write that in our society, marriage is conducted by the cleric, but when it comes to divorce, people do not refer to scholars. As a result, people incorrectly divorce and permanently close the door to goodness.
