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Do the three divorces take effect, and what should the wife do after her husband says to her "you are divorced" three times in jest, and on one of those occasions she was menstruating?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A clear divorce pronouncement takes effect even if the husband did not intend it, and there is no difference between a serious and a jesting pronouncement in this regard. A triple divorce pronounced in a single utterance is counted as three by the majority of jurists. However, a triple divorce pronounced in a single sitting is counted as one by some scholars, such as Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. If the husband intended to establish a new divorce with his words: "Divorced, divorced, divorced," then a major irrevocable divorce (al-baynunah al-kubra) occurs, and his wife does not become lawful for him again until she marries another husband. But if he intended to emphasize a previous divorce, it is counted as one divorce added to the subsequent divorce. The divorce of a menstruating woman is valid according to the majority, but invalid according to Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. Consulting the Sharia courts is important, while cautioning against the seriousness of being lenient with divorce.

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

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