Does Reconciliation After a Conditional Divorce Statement Affect the Marriage?
Question: Due to a household chore, a husband and wife had a fight. In anger, the husband said to his wife, “If you ever call me, it will be a divorce from my side.” A few hours later, they reconciled. The sister has asked if any expiation is required now.
Answer: The husband’s statement to his wife, “If you ever call me, it will be a divorce from my side,” is known as a conditional divorce (Talaq Mu’allaq), meaning the divorce is contingent upon a specific action. The reconciliation between the husband and wife does not nullify this conditional divorce; it remains in effect because a conditional divorce cannot be retracted.
Therefore, if the wife ever calls the husband, a revocable divorce (Raj’i Talaq) will occur. The husband will then have the right to reconcile during the waiting period (Iddah). If he reconciles during the Iddah, the marriage will be restored, and the matter of the conditional divorce will also be resolved.
Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah
❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫