Does divorce take effect if a father divorces his wife three times while suffering from an illness that affects his thinking and being old in age?
A wife becomes irrevocably divorced from her husband (Bainunah Kubra) if he divorces her three times, whether these pronouncements are simultaneous or separate. This is the view of the majority of scholars. There is another opinion, advocated by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, which holds that it counts as a single revocable divorce.
Regarding the divorce issued by a father suffering from kidney disease, what matters is his state at the time of the divorce: if he was unconscious, his divorce does not count. However, if he was conscious and acting of his own free will, then his divorce counts.
If the divorces occurred separately and your father was conscious, then your mother is irrevocably divorced from him by consensus. If it occurred while he was unconscious, it does not count. If it occurred as a single pronouncement while he was in full possession of his mental faculties, there is a difference of opinion as to whether it counts as one or three divorces, with the majority holding it counts as three. It is recommended to consult the Sharia courts.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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