18/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1471s — Proper Timing of Divorce
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
Proper Timing of Divorce in the Ibn Umar Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 1471s
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1471s
وَحَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَيْمَنَ، مَوْلَى عَزَّةَ يَسْأَلُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ وَأَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ يَسْمَعُ ذَلِكَ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي رَجُلٍ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ حَائِضًا فَقَالَ طَلَّقَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَهْىَ حَائِضٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَ عُمَرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَهْىَ حَائِضٌ . فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لِيُرَاجِعْهَا " . فَرَدَّهَا وَقَالَ " إِذَا طَهَرَتْ فَلْيُطَلِّقْ أَوْ لِيُمْسِكْ " . قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَقَرَأَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ فِي قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهِنَّ .
Abu Zubair reported that he heard 'Abd al-Rahman b. Aiman (the freed slave of 'Azza) say that he asked Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) and Abu Zubair heard: What is your opinion about the person who divorced his wife in the state of menses? Thereupon he said: Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) divorced his wife during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while she was in the state of menses. Upon this Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told him to take her back and so he took her back and he (further) said: When she is pure, then either divorce her or retain her. Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) said that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) then recited this verse:" O Apostle, when you divorce women, divorce them at the commencement of their prescribed period" (Ixv 1).
[1] At-Talâq 65:1.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1471sIn-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 19USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3489
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1471s
This hadith gives a fuller wording of the report about divorce during menses. Ibn Umar said that he divorced his wife during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم while she was in menses. Umar asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about it, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Ibn Umar should take her back. The narration then adds that when she became pure, he could either divorce her or keep her. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also recited the verse about divorcing women at the start of their prescribed waiting period. For anyone searching for the proper timing of divorce in Islam, this hadith shows a clear link between divorce, purity, and the prescribed period mentioned in the Qur'anic verse within the narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed Ibn Umar to take back the wife divorced during menses.
- The narration mentions waiting until purity before divorce or retention.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم connected the matter to the verse about the prescribed period.
- A serious family decision should follow the correct time and process.
