Joking with Nikah or divorce
Question
If a person was completely unaware of the ruling that joking with nikah or divorce can either cause nikah (under two witnesses) or divorce to happen but found out later of the ruling, Does the nikah or divorce still take place even though you only learnt after that such an act can cause it to be accepted by Allah?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Nikah (marriage) is a sacred institution which deserves utmost reverence and should be carried out with great sense of responsibility. Similarly, Talaaq (divorce) and its implications are not something to be taken lightly. To joke with such institutions of Shar’iah is disrespectful. Accordingly, Rasulullah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentioned three things of which the reality of them are a reality and the joking of them are also a reality, i.e. Nikah, Talaaq and revoking of Talaaq.[1]
In joking with the institution of Nikah and Talaaq, Shari’ah has considered Nikah and Talaaq as realities followed by their implications as a form of retribution so that one may experience precaution in future.
It is clear from the above, if Nikah was performed jokingly with all the conditions of a valid Nikah, then the Nikah will be valid. Likewise, if Talaaq was pronounced as a joke, the Talaaq will be valid with all its implications.[2] ;
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Fahad Abdul Wahab
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
www.Daruliftaa.net
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
[1] حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَرْدَكَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ مَاهَكَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ثَلاَثٌ جِدُّهُنَّ جِدٌّ، وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جِدٌّ: النِّكَاحُ، وَالطَّلاَقُ، وَالرَّجْعَةُ. رقم الحديث ١١٨٤ . ت شاكر
[2] وَعِنْدَهُ لَا يَجُوزُ، وَهَذِهِ مِنْ مَسَائِلِ كِتَابِ الْإِكْرَاهِ، وَكَذَلِكَ الْجِدُّ لَيْسَ مِنْ شَرَائِطِ جَوَازِ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّى يَجُوزَ نِكَاحُ الْهَازِلِ؛ لِأَنَّ الشَّرْعَ جَعَلَ الْجِدَّ، وَالْهَزْلَ فِي بَابِ النِّكَاحِ سَوَاءً قَالَ النَّبِيُّ: - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - «ثَلَاثٌ جِدُّهُنَّ جِدٌّ، وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جِدٌّ الطَّلَاقُ وَالْعَتَاقُ وَالنِّكَاحُ» وَكَذَلِكَ الْعَمْدُ عِنْدَنَا حَتَّى يَجُوزَ نِكَاحُ الْخَاطِئِ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَسْبِقُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ كَلِمَةُ النِّكَاحِ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَصْدِهِ.
[بدائع الصنائع ج٣ ص٥٥٧ دار الكتب العلمية]
وَكَذَا كَوْنُهُ جَادًّا لَيْسَ بِشَرْطٍ فَيَقَعُ طَلَاقُ الْهَازِلِ بِالطَّلَاقِ وَاللَّاعِبِ لِمَا رُوِيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ «ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جَدٌّ وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدٌّ النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّلَاقُ وَالْعَتَاقُ، وَرُوِيَ النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّلَاقُ وَالرَّجْعَةُ» وَعَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ «مَنْ لَعِبَ بِطَلَاقٍ أَوْ عَتَاقٍ لَزِمَهُ» .
وَقِيلَ فِيهِ نَزَلَ قَوْلُهُ - سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - {وَلا تَتَّخِذُوا آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا} [البقرة: 231] وَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يُطَلِّقُ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ يُرَاجِعُ فَيَقُولُ كُنْت لَاعِبًا وَيُعْتِقُ عَبْدَهُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فَيَقُولُ كُنْت لَاعِبًا فَنَزَلَتْ الْآيَةُ فَقَالَ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - «مَنْ طَلَّقَ أَوْ حَرَّرَ أَوْ نَكَحَ فَقَالَ إنِّي كُنْت لَاعِبًا فَهُوَ جَائِزٌ مِنْهُ»
[بدائع الصنائع ج٤ ص٢١٨ دار الكتب العلمية]
- Answered by
- Fahad Abdul Wahab
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/30806
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-30806