What is the ruling on someone who said to his wife, "What if I divorce you or divorce her," without intending divorce? Does his divorce take effect? And have the scholars unanimously agreed that the divorce of one afflicted by obsessive doubts does not take effect, even if he utters it? And have the four madhhabs (schools of thought) unanimously agreed on that?
Such phrases do not constitute divorce. If a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder divorces due to the overwhelming influence of obsessions on their mind, their divorce is not effective. This is a consensus among the scholars of the Muslim nation. It is advised to disregard these obsessions and beware of excessive questioning.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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