Revocable Divorce and Reconciliation: A Guide for Muslim Couples
Question: A sister asked a question: Her husband, who is abroad, gave her not three but five divorces in one instance out of anger. The next day, he said he was angry and did not mean to divorce her. The sister’s family insists that all three divorces have taken place, but the sister believes only one has occurred. Her husband also consulted scholars who said only one divorce has taken place. Now her husband says he wants to reconcile, but he is abroad. The sister wants to know if it is sufficient for him to verbally say, “I reconcile with you”?
Answer: If a woman’s husband, who is abroad, gave her five divorces over the phone in one instance, only one divorce will be considered valid because a person can only give one divorce at a time, as clarified by correct evidence.
Since this will be considered one divorce, it is a revocable divorce (Talaq Raj’i). The husband has the right to reconcile during the waiting period (Iddah). To reconcile, he should verbally tell his wife, “I reconcile with you,” and this will be sufficient for reconciliation.
✍ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi
❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫