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Does divorce take place if a man swears by divorce upon himself that he will not watch pornographic films, then returns and watches them, and what must he do, and should he inform his wife of that?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The majority of scholars hold that a conditional divorce takes effect. Ibn Taymiyyah elaborated, stating that if one intended the divorce to occur, it takes effect; but if one intended prevention (i.e., not divorce), then an expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat yamin) is due. It is not obligatory to inform the wife about a conditional divorce, but it is recommended. The right of return (raj'ah) belongs to the husband during the 'iddah (waiting period) and does not require the wife's knowledge, though it is recommended to have witnesses for it. It is advised to be mindful of Allah's watchfulness, to seek righteous companionship, to persevere in prayer and remembrance (dhikr), and to utilize time in learning religious knowledge and memorizing the Qur'an.

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

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