What is the ruling of Islamic law on a husband taking back his wife after he has uttered divorce and prohibition by saying: "If you do such and such, then you are divorced and unlawful to me," and the husband learned of her action three months later, while he remembers (but without certainty) that he inwardly revoked this condition?
1. Suspended divorce (talaq mu'allaq) takes effect upon the occurrence of the condition it is tied to. This is the prevailing opinion of the majority of scholars. Accordingly, a divorce pronouncement of "you are divorced" becomes binding if the wife performs the intended action.
2. Regarding the statement "and you are forbidden to me," the intention behind it is crucial: If he intended divorce, another divorce becomes binding (unless it completes the third one). If he intended ẓihār (a form of injurious divorce by likening one's wife to an unmarriageable kin), then its expiation is required. If he intended an oath by Allah, or had no specific intention, then an expiation for an oath is required.
3. If the divorce that occurred was less than three, then according to some scholars, the resumption of conjugal relations (raj'a) is valid through sexual intercourse or its مقدمات (preliminaries), even if the husband was unaware of the divorce having occurred or the wife was unaware of the resumption of conjugal relations.
4. It is not possible to retract from divorce or prohibition, except for what Ibn Taymiyyah held regarding the permissibility of retracting a suspended divorce if divorce was intended, not an oath. However, it is not permissible to retract from ẓihār.
5. The prevailing opinion is that it is not permissible to retract from suspending a divorce before the condition is breached. It is advisable to consult scholars directly due to the multitude of possibilities.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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