Fatwa No : 78323
Ruling on giving Talaq through text messages

Ruling on giving Talaq through text messages

What do the muftis say about the issue that our sister named Kainat was married to Areeb two years ago. Now, about two three days ago, husband and wife were discussing some matters in text messages. During this, there was a bitter argument between them, and the wife demanded a divorce. The husband angrily wrote the concerned divorce sentence, "I give you Talaq," three times and sent it. Now both of them regret over this issue. So, how many divorces occurred in the aforementioned incident? And if there is a way of revoking it, please write that too. Note: The divorce message is available on Darul Ifta's WhatsApp.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

In the case of the questioner, when the sister of the questioner demanded divorce from her husband in a bitter conversation during a text message, and he wrote and sent the aforementioned sentence "I divorce you" three times in a state of anger, this has resulted in the three divorces being pronounced on his wife, proving that she is forbidden for him absolutely, which cannot be revocable now, and without going through the process of Shar’i Halala, nor can they remarry. Therefore, it is obligatory on both of them to immediately separate from each other and never to establish marital relations, otherwise both of them will be guilty of grave sins, The woman will be free to marry elsewhere after the waiting period of Iddath is passed.
And the process of Shar’i Halala is that the woman, after completing the waiting period of Iddath, should marry a Muslim without any conditions. And, if the second man divorces her immediately after intercourse (which is necessary for the realization of Halala e Shar’ia) or after some time of married life, or if he does not divorce her but dies, in any case, after completing her waiting period of Iddat from the second husband if she wishes to enter into the marriage contract with her first husband, and the first husband is also willing to keep her, then they can remarry in the presence of witnesses with a new Mahar and live together as husband and wife. However, making the Shar’i Halala with the condition that the second husband will divorce the wife after intercourse, so that the first husband can remarry her, is a totally disliked act, and warnings have been reported in the Ahadith in this regards. However, doing so without conditions is permissible and correct.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی التنزیل العزیز:فَاِنْ طَلَّقَہَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَہُ مِنْ بَعْدُ حَتَّی تَنْکِحَ زَوْجًا غَیْرَہ"(سورة البقرة230/)۔
وفی الصحیح البخاری: حدثنا سعيد بن عفير، قال: حدثني الليث، قال حدثني عقيل، عن ابن شهاب، قال: أخبرني عروة بن الزبير، أن عائشة، أخبرته: أن امرأة رفاعة القرظي جاءت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقالت: يا رسول الله، إن رفاعة طلقني فبت طلاقي، وإني نكحت بعده عبد الرحمن بن الزبير القرظي، وإنما معه مثل الهدبة، قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لعلك تريدين أن ترجعي إلى رفاعة؟ لا، حتى يذوق عسيلتك وتذوقي عسيلته» (رقم الحدیث: 5260[ج:7/ص:43]۔
وفی الھدایۃ: وإن كان الطلاق ثلاثا في الحرة أو ثنتين في الأمة لم تحل له حتى تنكح زوجا غيره نكاحا صحيحا ويدخل بها ثم يطلقها أو يموت عنها " والأصل فيه قوله تعالى: {فإن طلقها فلا تحل له من بعد حتى تنكح زوجا غيره} [البقرة: 230] فالمراد الطلقة الثالثةالخ،والزوجية المطلقة إنما ثبتت بنكاح صحيح وشرط الدخول ثبت بإشارة النص وهو أن يحمل النكاح على الوطء حملا للكلام على الإفادة دون الإعادة إذ العقد استفيد بإطلاق اسم الزوج أو يزاد على النص بالحديث المشهور وهو قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام لا تحل للأول حتى تذوق عسيلة الآخر روي بروايات ولا خلاف لأحد فيه سوى سعيد بن المسيب رضي الله عنه وقوله غير معتبر حتى لو قضى به القاضي لا ينفذ والشرط الإيلاج دون الإنزال لأنه كمال ومبالغة فيه والكمال قيد زائد اھ (2/258)۔