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Is it permissible for one who has divorced his wife twice to take her back after a year and a half from their divorce due to family disputes and her family's desire for her not to return, especially since he suffers from depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder and does not precisely remember the number of divorces?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

An individual afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not bound by a divorce unless they genuinely and intentionally desire it in a state of stability. A written divorce does not take effect without intention. If there is doubt regarding the number of divorces, the lesser number is considered valid. A divorce is binding on the wife if she is within the marital bond or observing the iddah (waiting period) from a revocable divorce. The husband can take his wife back (raj'ah) without her consent or her family's consent if she is within her iddah. It is not permissible for the wife to leave her husband's house without his permission.

Based on the above, if the divorce was not binding, or if you took your wife back before the end of her iddah, then she is still under your marital bond. If three or more divorces have become binding upon you, then she has become irrevocably separated from you (baynunah kubra). If it was less than three divorces, you can take her back as long as her iddah has not expired; otherwise, a new marriage contract is required. Due to the complexity of the situation, it is advisable to consult a Sharia court or trustworthy scholars.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy