Is it permissible to divorce a wife who concealed her mental and nervous illness before marriage, and what are the resulting implications concerning alimony and compensatory gift?
The illness from which the wife suffers presents two scenarios:
The first scenario: The illness is a repulsive defect that prevents intimacy and affection. This permits the annulment of the marriage. However, the option (to annul) is forfeited if you consent to the defect after its discovery. You may claim the mahr (dowry) from whoever deceived you and concealed the illness. The guardian alone is liable if they collaborated with the wife in concealing the illness.
The second scenario: The illness does not reach the point of repulsion. In this case, you do not have the right to annul the marriage, but you may divorce her. The divorce is revocable (rajʿī), and the revocable divorcee is entitled to maintenance (nafaqah) and housing according to what is customary, unless she is disobedient (nashiz). A pregnant revocable divorcee is entitled to maintenance even if she is disobedient, because the maintenance is for the pregnancy.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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