Question

A father wanted his son to divorce his wife. The father threatened his son to throw him out of his house and disown him if he does not divorce her. Eventually the son told the father “I’m divorced” and inaudibly added “in your eyes”. The boy said he had No intention of divorce and uttered it because of the father’s threat. Is the nikah still intact?

Answer

As the phrase “I am divorced” does not have any reference to his wife and he also did not intend her whilst making this statement then the divorce will not take place. In order for a divorce to be valid the phrase must be directed towards the wife or must make reference to the wife in some way. For example saying to the wife, “You are divorced”, or saying, “My wife is divorced”.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 248)
قوله لتركه الإضافة) أي المعنوية فإنها الشرط والخطاب من الإضافة المعنوية، وكذا الإشارة نحو هذه طالق، وكذا نحو امرأتي طالق وزينب طالق. اهـ.

البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (3/ 273)
وَذِكْرُ اسْمِهَا أَوْ إضَافَتِهَا إلَيْهِ كَخِطَابِهِ كَمَا بَيَّنَّا فَلَوْ قَالَ طَالِقٌ فَقِيلَ لَهُ مَنْ عَنَيْت فَقَالَ امْرَأَتِي طَلُقَتْ امْرَأَتُهُ وَلَوْ قَالَ امْرَأَةٌ طَالِقٌ أَوْ قَالَ طَلَّقْت امْرَأَةً ثَلَاثًا وَقَالَ لَمْ أَعْنِ بِهِ امْرَأَتِي يُصَدَّقُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ عَمْرَةُ طَالِقٌ، وَامْرَأَتُهُ عَمْرَةُ، وَقَالَ لَمْ أَعْنِ بِهِ امْرَأَتِي طَلُقَتْ امْرَأَتُهُ وَلَا يُصَدَّقُ قَضَاءً

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel