Does the pronouncement "You are divorced" constitute a divorce if uttered in a hypothetical context, addressed to the husband's mother-in-law, with no intention of divorce and the word having been uttered inadvertently?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The questioner's divorce is not binding because the divorce occurred on his tongue without intending to utter it, or because he addressed his mother-in-law saying, "You are divorced" while imagining a conversation with her, and she is not under his marital authority. Therefore, a divorce does not take effect concerning what a person does not possess, based on the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "There is no vow for the son of Adam concerning what he does not possess, no emancipation for him concerning what he does not possess, and no divorce for him concerning what he does not possess."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 102967
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Read the full answer on Ftawy