68/4. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5260 — Triple Divorce and Remarriage Ruling
To divorce one's wife thrice (at a time)
لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {الطَّلاَقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاكٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ}. وَقَالَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ فِي مَرِيضٍ طَلَّقَ لاَ أَرَى أَنْ تَرِثَ مَبْتُوتَتُهُ. وَقَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ تَرِثُهُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ شُبْرُمَةَ. تَزَوَّجُ إِذَا انْقَضَتِ الْعِدَّةُ قَالَ نَعَمْ، قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ مَاتَ الزَّوْجُ الآخَرُ فَرَجَعَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ.
Hadith About Triple Divorce and Returning to the First Husband
Sahih Bukhari : 5260
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5260
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ رِفَاعَةَ الْقُرَظِيِّ جَاءَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ رِفَاعَةَ طَلَّقَنِي فَبَتَّ طَلاَقِي، وَإِنِّي نَكَحْتُ بَعْدَهُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الزَّبِيرِ الْقُرَظِيَّ، وَإِنَّمَا مَعَهُ مِثْلُ الْهُدْبَةِ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَعَلَّكِ تُرِيدِينَ أَنْ تَرْجِعِي إِلَى رِفَاعَةَ، لاَ، حَتَّى يَذُوقَ عُسَيْلَتَكِ وَتَذُوقِي عُسَيْلَتَهُ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
The wife of Rifa`a Al-Qurazi came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Rifa`a divorced me irrevocably. After him I married `Abdur-Rahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi who proved to be impotent." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to her, "Perhaps you want to return to Rifa`a? Nay (you cannot return to Rifa`a) until you and `Abdur-Rahman consummate your marriage."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5260In-book reference : Book 68, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 63, Hadith 186
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5260
This Hadith explains a clear ruling about triple divorce and remarriage. The wife of Rifaʿa came to Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and said that Rifaʿa had divorced her irrevocably. She then married ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Az-Zubair, but the marriage was not truly fulfilled. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم understood that she may have wanted to return to Rifaʿa, so he said she could not do so until the second marriage was consummated. The main message is that remarriage after irrevocable divorce is not treated as a simple way back to the first husband. The second marriage must be a real marriage, not only a formal step.
What we learn from this hadith
- Irrevocable divorce has serious legal weight and cannot be undone casually.
- A second marriage must be real and consummated before returning to the first husband is allowed.
- Questions about marriage and divorce should be answered with clear guidance.
- Personal desire does not remove the legal limits stated in the Hadith.
