65/65.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4908 — Divorce During Menses
Hadith About Divorce During Menses and the Prescribed Waiting Period
Sahih Bukhari : 4908
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4908
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمٌ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَهْىَ حَائِضٌ، فَذَكَرَ عُمَرُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَغَيَّظَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ " لِيُرَاجِعْهَا ثُمَّ يُمْسِكْهَا حَتَّى تَطْهُرَ، ثُمَّ تَحِيضَ فَتَطْهُرَ، فَإِنْ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَهَا فَلْيُطَلِّقْهَا طَاهِرًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمَسَّهَا فَتِلْكَ الْعِدَّةُ كَمَا أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ ".
Salim Narrated from:
`Abdullah bin `Umar told him that he had divorced his wife while she was in her menses so `Umar informed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) of that. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became very angry at that and said, "(Ibn `Umar must return her to his house and keep her as his wife till she becomes clean and then menstruates and becomes clean again, whereupon, if he wishes to divorce her, he may do so while she is still clean and before having any sexual relations with her, for that is the legally prescribed period for divorce as Allah has ordered."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4908In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 428USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 431
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4908
This Hadith about divorce during menses gives a direct legal correction from Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Abdullah bin Umar divorced his wife while she was menstruating. Umar reported this to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the Prophet became angry. He ordered that Ibn Umar should take her back and keep her as his wife until she became clean, then menstruated again, then became clean again. After that, if he still wished to divorce her, he could do so while she was clean and before any sexual relations. The Hadith teaches that divorce is not to be done in any careless moment. It must respect the prescribed period as Allah ordered.
What we learn from this hadith
- Divorce should follow the prescribed timing mentioned in the Hadith.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected a divorce done during menses.
- A person should not act carelessly in a serious family matter.
