Question 1
About a year ago, during a heated argument with my wife, I said, "I’ll divorce you," or perhaps, "I’ll divorce you right now." My intention was not to actually divorce her but to use those words as a threat, implying that I could divorce her. I had no real intention of following through. Does this count as a divorce?
Answer 1
Question 2
On June 6, 2011, my wife asked for a divorce, and despite my efforts to avoid it, I said to her during an internet chat, "I, Imran Mirani, son of Rafiq Ahmed, give you, Ansa Hussein, one talaq as it says in Islam," and ended the conversation. My intention was to make her reconsider. Later, over the next week, I repeatedly told her via calls, chats, and emails that I wanted to reconcile (rujuu). I used phrases like "I want to do rujuu with you because talaq is not the solution" and "I did rujuu with you, and we are still husband and wife." However, she kept rejecting my rujuu and later claimed that her iddah period had ended after three menstrual cycles, stating we are no longer married. My question is: are we still married according to Shariah?
Answer 2
Question 3
Several years ago, during an argument with my wife, she left the house without my permission and went to her parents. I became very angry and, while alone, I think I uttered the words in Bengali, “Ami tore talaq dilam,” which means “I divorce you.” However, my intention at the time was not to divorce her but to vent my anger. I believed then that if my wife was not present and there were no witnesses, the divorce would not take effect.
Now, I am unsure whether I actually said those words out loud or simply thought about saying them. I estimate a 50% chance that I may have uttered them, and I cannot recall how many times. A few days later, my wife returned home, and we continued living as husband and wife. Recently, after reading a fatwa, I became concerned that a valid divorce might have taken place. Could you advise on whether my marriage remains valid?
Answer 3
Question 4
I have been contemplating divorce since I got married, but I have always hoped that Allah will make things better. Over time, I’ve spoken to others—family and friends—about my feelings, saying things like “I don’t want to be with her” and “I can’t stand being with her,” which I meant as expressing my unhappiness. Recently, I decided that I would divorce my wife before leaving for Hajj, meaning I would tell her over the phone a day before I leave. My question is whether the divorce is already done just by me deciding to divorce her before going to Hajj, or is it only binding when I actually say it to her? Also, what is the significance of saying “I am going to divorce her,” but not meaning I have divorced her?
Answer 4
Question 5
I have been married for over 21 years, and during this time, I have suffered from mental abuse by my husband. Despite fulfilling all my responsibilities as a mother and wife, he continues to taunt and complain. I am currently seeking therapy for severe depression. In light of this, I feel that divorce might be the only solution, but my husband refuses to give me ṭalāq and is adamant about not signing khul’a papers either. He has even stated that he will keep me in limbo while marrying another woman. I live in Europe, and the Islamic center here has told me that I can obtain a divorce through the country’s social court. After six months, they will provide me with an Islamic divorce certificate. Is this approach acceptable from an Islamic perspective? Please clarify.
Answer 5
Question 6
My husband is 45 years old, and we are both doctors with two children. He has high blood pressure and panic disorder, which causes extreme anger and aggression during stressful moments. One day, he became upset, cursed me, and then started physically abusing me when I responded angrily. In his heightened anger, he said, "You are divorced." I was shocked and upset, but later, after his anger subsided, he apologized and said he did not intend to divorce me. I was also menstruating at the time. Is this divorce valid?
Answer 6
Question 7
On 18th February 2004, my father beat me with a cricket bat, insisting that I divorce my wife. I was under intense pressure and became mentally unstable, not fully remembering my actions or words. In my anger, I said words of divorce. Later, I told my wife that I didn't know why I did it. My in-laws now claim I divorced her. I love my wife and child and don't want the divorce. Is it valid?
Answer 7
Question 8
I had an arranged marriage in August 2013, which was followed by civil registration. From the start, my husband was distant, emotionally abusive, and physically aggressive. The marriage was never consummated. After enduring emotional and physical abuse, I left his home and sought a divorce through English law, citing non-consummation. The Decree Nisi has been granted, but I am waiting for the Decree Absolute. Despite this, my husband has not provided an Islamic divorce. I have questions about the Islamic stance in my situation:
1. Where do I stand Islamically if the marriage was not consummated?
2. Do I still need an Islamic divorce if the civil marriage is annulled?
3. Do I need to observe the iddah period if the marriage was not consummated?
Answer 8
Question 9
My husband and I were experiencing problems in our marriage, and my knowledge about divorce in Islam was limited. I believed that uttering "talaq" three times constituted a single divorce, allowing for reconciliation during the iddah period. On this basis, my husband said "talaq" three times, intending it to count as one divorce. However, we later learned that this could be seen as three separate divorces, making it impossible for us to reconcile, which was never our intention. We would like guidance on whether the divorce is considered final and what we can do in our situation.
Answer 9
Question 10
I have a question about Islamic divorce. If I, as a husband, file for a legal and civil divorce in UK courts, would that automatically count as an Islamic divorce, or would I have to give a separate Islamic divorce? Please explain.
Answer 10