68/12. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5273 — Khula and Returning the Mahr
Al-Khul' and how a divorce is given according to it
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {الظَّالِمُونَ} وَأَجَازَ عُمَرُ الْخُلْعَ دُونَ السُّلْطَانِ، وَأَجَازَ عُثْمَانُ الْخُلْعَ دُونَ عِقَاصِ رَأْسِهَا. وَقَالَ طَاوُسٌ: {إِلاَّ أَنْ يَخَافَا أَنْ لاَ يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ} فِيمَا افْتَرَضَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فِي الْعِشْرَةِ وَالصُّحْبَةِ، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ قَوْلَ السُّفَهَاءِ لاَ يَحِلُّ. حَتَّى تَقُولَ لاَ أَغْتَسِلُ لَكَ مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ.
Khula Hadith: Thabit bin Qais and Returning the Garden
Sahih Bukhari : 5273
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5273
حَدَّثَنَا أَزْهَرُ بْنُ جَمِيلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ،. أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ، ثَابِتِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ مَا أَعْتُبُ عَلَيْهِ فِي خُلُقٍ وَلاَ دِينٍ، وَلَكِنِّي أَكْرَهُ الْكُفْرَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَرُدِّينَ عَلَيْهِ حَدِيقَتَهُ ". قَالَتْ نَعَمْ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْبَلِ الْحَدِيقَةَ وَطَلِّقْهَا تَطْلِيقَةً ". قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ لَا يُتَابَعُ فِيهِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
The wife of Thabit bin Qais came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I do not blame Thabit for defects in his character or his religion, but I, being a Muslim, dislike to behave in un-Islamic manner (if I remain with him)." On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said (to her), "Will you give back the garden which your husband has given you (as Mahr)?" She said, "Yes." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said to Thabit, "O Thabit! Accept your garden, and divorce her once."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5273In-book reference : Book 68, Hadith 22USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 63, Hadith 197
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5273
This Hadith is one of the key narrations about khula in Islam. The wife of Thabit bin Qais came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said she did not blame Thabit in his character or religion. Her concern was that she disliked behaving in an un-Islamic way if she remained with him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked whether she would return the garden he had given her as mahr. She agreed. Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told Thabit to accept the garden and divorce her once. The message is simple and balanced: her concern was heard, the husband received back the garden, and the separation was handled through one divorce.
What we learn from this hadith
- The wife did not accuse Thabit of bad character or weak religion.
- Her concern about staying in the marriage was taken seriously.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked her to return the garden given as mahr.
- Thabit was told to accept the garden and divorce her once.
