What is the ruling on one who threatens his wife with divorce without uttering it, yet intending divorce during a quarrel, and does divorce occur in this case?

Divorce was not legislated to be a weapon of threat. Rather, the husband must do what Allah has commanded him: "Then [a man may either] retain her with fairness or release [her] with kindness." Divorce serves a purpose when reconciliation becomes impossible, discord prevails, and no signs of betterment appear between the spouses. Threatening divorce before this stage is unhelpful and may further complicate matters. A mere threat is not considered a divorce by the consensus of scholars.