Does a divorce count as three, one, or not at all if a man divorces his wife with three pronouncements in a single utterance, while making the divorce conditional on an event that has occurred, knowing that the wife is unaware of it?
The wife's knowledge of the conditional divorce or her return is not a condition for the divorce to take effect. If the husband made his wife's triple divorce conditional upon an event, and the condition is fulfilled, a triple divorce occurs according to the majority of scholars, and she becomes unlawful for him until she marries another husband. However, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah holds that if he did not intend divorce, he owes an expiation for a broken oath; and if he did intend it, then a single divorce takes place, and he can take her back before her waiting period expires, provided this divorce does not complete three divorces.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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