Does a husband's statement to his wife, "You are not binding upon me," count as one of the allusive phrases of divorce, thus necessitating anxiety and confusion?
Your statement to your wife, "You are not binding upon me" (أنت لا تلزميني), is a metaphorical divorce (kinayah talaq) which does not take effect unless there is an intention (niyyah). If you doubt your intention, the default is that there was no intention. As long as you are not certain that you intended divorce, nothing is incumbent upon you, because the default is the continuation of the marital bond. Your ignorance that it is a metaphorical divorce is an indication that you did not intend divorce, so your wife remains under your marital bond.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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