Muwatta Imam Malik — Divorce

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that a man said to Abdullah ibn Abbas, "I have divorced my wife by saying I divorce you a hundred times. What do you think my situation is?" Ibn Abbas said to him, "She was divorced from you by three pronouncements, and by the ninety-seven, you have mocked the ayat of Allah

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، انه بلغه ان رجلا، قال لعبد الله بن عباس اني طلقت امراتي ماية تطليقة فماذا ترى على فقال له ابن عباس طلقت منك لثلاث وسبع وتسعون اتخذت بها ايات الله هزوا

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that a man came to Abdullah ibn Masud and said, "I have divorced my wife by saying I divorce you eight times." Ibn Masud said to him, "What have people told you?" He replied, "I have been told that I have to part absolutely from her." Ibn Masud said, "They have spoken the truth. A person who divorces as Allah has commanded, Allah makes it clear for him, and a person who obscures himself in error, we make stay by his error. So do not confuse yourselves and pull us into your confusion. It is as they have said

وحدثني عن مالك، انه بلغه ان رجلا، جاء الى عبد الله بن مسعود فقال اني طلقت امراتي ثماني تطليقات . فقال ابن مسعود فماذا قيل لك قال قيل لي انها قد بانت مني . فقال ابن مسعود صدقوا من طلق كما امره الله فقد بين الله له ومن لبس على نفسه لبسا جعلنا لبسه ملصقا به لا تلبسوا على انفسكم ونتحمله عنكم هو كما يقولون

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Abu Bakr ibn Hazm thatUmar ibn Abd al-Aziz had asked him what people said about the 'irrevocable' divorce, and Abu Bakr had replied that Aban ibn Uthman had clarified that it was declared only once. Umar ibn Abd al- Aziz said, "Even if divorce had to be declared a thousand times, the'irrevocable' would use them all up. A person who says, 'irrevocably' has cast the furthest limit

وحدثني عن مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن ابي بكر بن حزم، ان عمر بن عبد العزيز، قال له البتة ما يقول الناس فيها قال ابو بكر فقلت له كان ابان بن عثمان يجعلها واحدة . فقال عمر بن عبد العزيز لو كان الطلاق الفا ما ابقت البتة منها شييا من قال البتة فقد رمى الغاية القصوى

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Marwan ibn al-Hakam decided that if someone made three pronouncements of divorce, he had divorced his wife irrevocably. Malik said, "That is what I like best of what I have heard on the subject." 29.2 Divorce by Euphemistic Statements

وحدثني عن مالك، عن ابن شهاب، ان مروان بن الحكم، كان يقضي في الذي يطلق امراته البتة انها ثلاث تطليقات . قال مالك وهذا احب ما سمعت الى في ذلك

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab had heard in a letter from Iraq that a man said to his wife, "Your rein is on your withers (i.e. you have free rein)." Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to his governor to order the man to come to him at Makka at the time of hajj. While Umar was doing tawaf around the House, a man met him and greeted him. Umar asked him who he was, and he replied that he was the man that he had ordered to be brought to him. Umar said to him, "I ask you by the Lord of this building, what did you mean by your statement, 'Your rein is on your withers.'?" The man replied, "Had you made me swear by other than this place, I would not have told you the truth. I intended separation by that." Umar ibn al- Khattab said, "It is what you intended

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، انه بلغه انه كتب الى عمر بن الخطاب من العراق ان رجلا قال لامراته حبلك على غاربك فكتب عمر بن الخطاب الى عامله ان مره يوافيني بمكة في الموسم فبينما عمر يطوف بالبيت اذ لقيه الرجل فسلم عليه فقال عمر من انت فقال انا الذي امرت ان اجلب عليك . فقال له عمر اسالك برب هذه البنية ما اردت بقولك حبلك على غاربك فقال له الرجل لو استحلفتني في غير هذا المكان ما صدقتك اردت بذلك الفراق . فقال عمر بن الخطاب هو ما اردت

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Ali ibn Abi Talib used to say that if a man said to his wife, "You are haram for me," it counted as three pronouncements of divorce. Malik said, "That is the best of what I have heard on the subject

وحدثني عن مالك، انه بلغه ان علي بن ابي طالب، كان يقول في الرجل يقول لامراته انت على حرام انها ثلاث تطليقات . قال مالك وذلك احسن ما سمعت في ذلك

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said that statements like "I cut myself off from you",or"You are abandoned", were considered as three pronouncements of divorce. Malik said that any strong statements such as these or others were considered as three pronouncements of divorce for a woman whose marriage had been consummated. In the case of a woman whose marriage had not been consummated, the man was asked to make an oath on his deen, as to whether he had intended one or three pronouncements of divorce. If he had intended one pronouncement, he was asked to make an oath by Allah to confirm it, and he became a suitor among other suitors, because a woman whose marriage had been consummated, required three pronouncements of divorce to make her inaccessible for the husband, whilst only one pronouncement was needed to make a woman whose marriage had not been consummated inaccessible. Malik added, "That is the best of what I have heard about the matter

وحدثني عن مالك، عن نافع، ان عبد الله بن عمر، كان يقول في الخلية والبرية انها ثلاث تطليقات كل واحدة منهما

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad that a certain man had taken a slave-girl belonging to somebody else as a wife. He said to her people, "She is your concern," and people considered that to be one pronouncement of divorce

وحدثني عن مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن القاسم بن محمد، . ان رجلا، كانت تحته وليدة لقوم فقال لاهلها شانكم بها . فراى الناس انها تطليقة واحدة

Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard Ibn Shihab say that if a man said to his wife, "You are free of me, and I am free of you, " it counted as three pronouncements of divorce as if it were an 'irrevocable' divorce. Malik said that if a man made any strong statement such as these to his wife, it counted as three pronouncements of divorce for a woman whose marriage had been consummated, or it was written as one of three for a woman whose marriage had not been consummated, whichever the man wished. If he said he intended only one divorce he swore to it and he became one of the suitors because, whereas a woman whose marriage had been consummated was made inaccessible by three pronouncements of divorce, the woman whose marriage had not been consummated was made inaccessible by only one pronouncement. Malik said, "That is the best of what I have heard

وحدثني عن مالك، انه سمع ابن شهاب، يقول في الرجل يقول لامراته بريت مني وبريت منك انها ثلاث تطليقات بمنزلة البتة . قال مالك في الرجل يقول لامراته انت خلية او برية او باينة انها ثلاث تطليقات للمراة التي قد دخل بها ويدين في التي لم يدخل بها اواحدة اراد ام ثلاثا فان قال واحدة احلف على ذلك وكان خاطبا من الخطاب لانه لا يخلي المراة التي قد دخل بها زوجها ولا يبينها ولا يبريها الا ثلاث تطليقات والتي لم يدخل بها تخليها وتبريها وتبينها الواحدة . قال مالك وهذا احسن ما سمعت في ذلك

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that a man came to Abdullah ibn Umar, and said, "Abu Abd ar-Rahman! I placed the command of my wife in her hand, and she divorced herself, what do you think?" Abdullah ibn Umar said, "I think that it is as she said." The man said, "Don't do it, Abu Abd ar-Rahman!" Ibn Umar said, "You did it, it has nothing to do with me

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، انه بلغه ان رجلا، جاء الى عبد الله بن عمر فقال يا ابا عبد الرحمن اني جعلت امر امراتي في يدها فطلقت نفسها فماذا ترى فقال عبد الله بن عمر اراه كما قالت . فقال الرجل لا تفعل يا ابا عبد الرحمن . فقال ابن عمر انا افعل انت فعلته

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "When a man gives a woman command over herself, then the result is as she decides unless he denies it and says that he only meant to give her one divorce and he swears to it - then he has access to her while she is in her idda

وحدثني عن مالك، عن نافع، ان عبد الله بن عمر، كان يقول اذا ملك الرجل امراته امرها فالقضاء ما قضت به الا ان ينكر عليها ويقول لم ارد الا واحدة فيحلف على ذلك ويكون املك بها ما كانت في عدتها

Yahya related to me from Malik from Said ibn Sulayman ibn Zayd ibn Thabit that Kharija ibn Zayd ibn Thabit told him that he was sitting with Zayd ibn Thabit when Muhammad ibn Abi Atiq came to him with his eyes brimming with tears. Zayd asked him what the matter was. He said, "I gave my wife command of herself, and she separated from me." Zayd said to him, "What made you do that?" He said, "The Decree." Zayd said, "Return to her if you wish for it is only one pronouncement, and you have access to her

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، عن سعيد بن سليمان بن زيد بن ثابت، عن خارجة بن زيد بن ثابت، انه اخبره انه، كان جالسا عند زيد بن ثابت فاتاه محمد بن ابي عتيق وعيناه تدمعان فقال له زيد ما شانك فقال ملكت امراتي امرها ففارقتني . فقال له زيد ما حملك على ذلك قال القدر . فقال زيد ارتجعها ان شيت فانما هي واحدة وانت املك بها

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim from his father that a man of Thaqif gave his wife command over herself, and she said, "You are divorced." He was silent. She said, "You are divorced." He said, "May a stone be in your mouth." She said, "You are divorced." He said, "May a stone be in your mouth." They argued and went to Marwan ibn al-Hakam. He took an oath that he had only given her control over one pronouncement, and then she returned to him. Malik said that Abd ar-Rahman declared that this decision had amazed al-Qasim, who thought it the best that he had heard on the subject. Malik added, "That is also the best of what I have heard on the subject

وحدثني عن مالك، عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم، عن ابيه، ان رجلا، من ثقيف ملك امراته امرها فقالت انت الطلاق فسكت ثم قالت انت الطلاق فقال بفيك الحجر . ثم قالت انت الطلاق فقال بفيك الحجر . فاختصما الى مروان بن الحكم فاستحلفه ما ملكها الا واحدة وردها اليه . قال مالك قال عبد الرحمن فكان القاسم يعجبه هذا القضاء ويراه احسن ما سمع في ذلك . قال مالك وهذا احسن ما سمعت في ذلك واحبه الى

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin, proposed to Qurayba bint Abi Umayya on behalf of Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr. They married her to him and her people found fault with Abd ar-Rahman and said, "We only gave in marriage because of A'isha." A'isha therefore sent for Abd ar-Rahman and told him about it. He gave Qurayba authority over herself and she chose her husband and so there was no divorce

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم، عن ابيه، عن عايشة ام المومنين، انها خطبت على عبد الرحمن بن ابي بكر قريبة بنت ابي امية فزوجوه ثم انهم عتبوا على عبد الرحمن وقالوا ما زوجنا الا عايشة فارسلت عايشة الى عبد الرحمن فذكرت ذلك له فجعل امر قريبة بيدها فاختارت زوجها فلم يكن ذلك طلاقا

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave Hafsa bint Abd arRahman in marriage to al-Mundhir ibn az-Zubayr while Abd ar-Rahman was away in Syria. When Abd ar-Rahman arrived, he said, "Shall someone like me have this done to him? Am I the kind of man to have something done to him without his consent?" A'isha spoke to al-Mundhir ibn az-Zubayr, and al-Mundhir said, "It is in the hands of Abd ar-Rahman." Abd ar-Rahman said, "I won't oppose something that you have already completed." Hafsa was confirmed with al-Mundhir, and there was no divorce

وحدثني عن مالك، عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم، عن ابيه، ان عايشة، زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم زوجت حفصة بنت عبد الرحمن المنذر بن الزبير - وعبد الرحمن غايب بالشام - فلما قدم عبد الرحمن قال ومثلي يصنع هذا به ومثلي يفتات عليه فكلمت عايشة المنذر بن الزبير فقال المنذر فان ذلك بيد عبد الرحمن . فقال عبد الرحمن ما كنت لارد امرا قضيتيه فقرت حفصة عند المنذر ولم يكن ذلك طلاقا

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar and Abu Hurayra were asked about a man who gave his wife power over herself, and she returned it to him without doing anything with it. They said that there was no divorce. (i.e. The man's giving his wife power over herself was not interpreted as a desire for divorce on his part)

وحدثني عن مالك، انه بلغه ان عبد الله بن عمر، وابا، هريرة سيلا عن الرجل، يملك امراته امرها فترد ذلك اليه ولا تقضي فيه شييا فقالا ليس ذلك بطلاق

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, "If a man gives his wife authority over herself, and she does not separate from him and remains with him, there is no divorce." Malik said that a woman whose husband gave her power over herself and they separated while she was unwilling, had no power to revoke the divorce. She only had power over herself as long as they remained together

وحدثني عن مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن سعيد بن المسيب، انه قال اذا ملك الرجل امراته امرها فلم تفارقه وقرت عنده فليس ذلك بطلاق . قال مالك في المملكة اذا ملكها زوجها امرها ثم افترقا ولم تقبل من ذلك شييا فليس بيدها من ذلك شىء وهو لها ما داما في مجلسهما

Yahya related to me from Malik from Jafar ibn Muhammad from his father that Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "When a man takes a vow to abstain from intercourse, divorce does not occur immediately. If four months pass, he must declare his intent and either he is divorced or he revokes his vow . " Malik said, "That is what is done among us

حدثني يحيى، عن مالك، عن جعفر بن محمد، عن ابيه، عن علي بن ابي طالب، انه كان يقول اذا الى الرجل من امراته لم يقع عليه طلاق وان مضت الاربعة الاشهر حتى يوقف فاما ان يطلق واما ان يفيء . قال مالك وذلك الامر عندنا

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "When a man makes a vow to abstain from intercourse with his wife and four months have passed he must declare his intent and either he is divorced or he revokes his vow. Divorce does not occur until four months have passed and he continues to abstain

وحدثني عن مالك، عن نافع، عن عبد الله بن عمر، انه كان يقول ايما رجل الى من امراته فانه اذا مضت الاربعة الاشهر وقف حتى يطلق او يفيء ولا يقع عليه طلاق اذا مضت الاربعة الاشهر حتى يوقف

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Said al-Musayyab and Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman said about a man who made a vow to abstain from intercourse with his wife, "If four months pass it is a divorce. The husband can go back to his wife as long as she is in her idda

وحدثني عن مالك، عن ابن شهاب، ان سعيد بن المسيب، وابا، بكر بن عبد الرحمن كانا يقولان في الرجل يولي من امراته انها اذا مضت الاربعة الاشهر فهي تطليقة ولزوجها عليها الرجعة ما كانت في العدة