Fatwa No : 82611
ChatGPT said: Living with one’s wife for a long time while hiding the fact that she has been divorced.

ChatGPT said: Living with one’s wife for a long time while hiding the fact that she has been divorced.

What do the esteemed Islamic scholars and jurists say regarding the following issue that a man intended to marry a second woman. On the insistence of the new woman, he issued a triple divorce (ṭalāq-e-thalāthah) to his first wife, wrote a divorce document in the presence of two witnesses, but kept it hidden from the first wife. About six years later, the truth came to light. The first wife's brother then separated her from the man. The following queries are presented that: The woman had been divorced, yet the man continued to keep her as his wife for six years, maintaining full marital relations. Now, the man claims that he was joking when he gave the divorce. What is the ruling in Islam regarding making a mockery of serious Shar‘ī (Islamic legal) matters? The woman had become unlawful (ḥarām) for him. What is the ruling of Islam for one who treats what is ḥarām as ḥalāl and continues to act upon it? What is the ruling regarding socially boycotting such individuals as a means of reprimand and deterrence, so that it serves as a lesson and warning for others?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If the aforementioned situation is indeed correct, then the individual in question has committed an extremely grave sin and engaged in a forbidden act (haram) by keeping his divorced wife in a marital relationship for six years. Moreover, such negligence and disregard for the distinction between lawful (halal) and unlawful (haram), as well as for the rulings of Islamic law, raise concerns about possible disbelief (kufr). Therefore, it is obligatory upon the said person to sincerely repent and seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty with deep remorse and regret for his shameful and impermissible actions. Otherwise, until he sincerely repents and abandons this reprehensible act, social boycott should be imposed against him so that no one dares to commit such a forbidden act in the future.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافي مرقاة المفاتيح: قال الخطابي: رخص للمسلم أن يغضب على أخيه ثلاث ليال لقلته، ولا يجوز فوقها إلا إذا كان الهجران في حق من حقوق الله تعالى، فيجوز فوق ذلك. (إلی قوله) فإن هجرة أهل الأهواء والبدع واجبة على مر الأوقات ما لم يظهر منه التوبة والرجوع إلى الحق، فإنه صلى الله عليه وسلم لما خاف على كعب بن مالك وأصحابه النفاق حين تخلفوا عن غزوة تبوك أمر بهجرانهم اھ(8/ 3146)۔
وفي تکملة فتح الملھم: اما إذا کان (الھجران) علی وجه التغلیظ علی المعصیة والفسق أو علی وجه التأدیب کما وقع مع کعب بن مالك وصاحبیه فانه لیس من الھجران الممنوع اھ (۵/ ۲۵۶)۔