18/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1471i — Divorce or Retain After Waiting
The prohibition of divorcing a menstruating woman without her consent; If a man breaks this rule, it still counts as a divorce, and he should be ordered to take her back
Hadith About Divorce or Retain After Iddah Waiting
Sahih Muslim : 1471i
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1471i
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ الأَوْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ بِلاَلٍ - حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَهْىَ حَائِضٌ فَسَأَلَ عُمَرُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " مُرْهُ فَلْيُرَاجِعْهَا حَتَّى تَطْهُرَ ثُمَّ تَحِيضَ حَيْضَةً أُخْرَى ثُمَّ تَطْهُرَ ثُمَّ يُطَلِّقَ بَعْدُ أَوْ يُمْسِكَ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported that he divorced his wife while she was in her menses. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about that, and he said: Command him to take her back until she is pure and then she enters the second menses and then becomes pure. Then either divorce her (finally) or retain her.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1471iIn-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3480
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1471i
This hadith about divorce or retain after waiting reports the same main event. Ibn Umar divorced his wife while she was in menses, and Umar asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded him to take her back until she became pure, then went through another menses, then became pure again. After that, he could either divorce her or retain her. This wording is direct and practical. It shows that the decision was not to be made in the state of menses. Time, waiting, and purity are central in the report. The hadith also keeps both options open after the waiting: divorce or keeping the marriage.
What we learn from this hadith
- A divorce during menses was followed by a command to take her back.
- The report gives a waiting sequence before the next decision.
- After the waiting, the husband could divorce or retain her.
- The narration keeps divorce tied to the proper period, not impulse.
