Allah says: divorce is twice, then either keep her with kindness or release her with good treatment (2:229). Divorce is allowed but disliked, and a last resort. It should be given once, in a state of purity, without intercourse in that period, and then the waiting period (iddah) follows (65:1). A woman may also seek a khul', as the wife of Thabit ibn Qays did in the time of the Prophet ﷺ.
1The way of the Sunnah
A single divorce in a period of purity, without intercourse, then waiting until the end of the iddah.
During the iddah the husband may take her back, and the wife stays in the home (65:1).
After the iddah ends the divorce is final, and they can marry again by a new contract.
A third divorce makes her unlawful for him until she marries another man in a real marriage (2:230).
2The waiting period (iddah)
Three periods for a woman who still has her cycle (2:228).
Three months for those who no longer menstruate or have not yet begun (65:4).
Until delivery for a pregnant woman.
Four months and ten days for a widow (2:234).
3Khul'
When the wife dislikes the marriage and fears she cannot fulfil her duties, she may return what she was given and the marriage is ended.
The Prophet ﷺ told Thabit ibn Qays to accept the garden and divorce her. It ends the marriage with one divorce.
Where the schools differ
The four Sunni schools agree on the main ruling above and differ in these points. No school is preferred here.
Three divorces in one word. the majority of the schools count them as three, and some scholars (like Ibn Taymiyyah) hold it counts as one. Ask a scholar.
Khul'. the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi'i schools count it as a final divorce. The Hanbali school, in the well-known narration, treats it as an annulment (faskh) and not a divorce, with a waiting period of one cycle.
Note
Divorce has important legal effects. Ask a qualified scholar and follow the law of your country for the legal side.
Saki sau biyu yake, sai a riƙa da alh ẽri, ko kuwa a sallama bisa kyautatãwa. Kuma ba ya halatta a gare ku (maza) ku karɓe wani abu daga abin da kuka bã su, fãce fa idan su (ma'auran) na tsõron bã zã su tsayar da iyãkõkin Allah ba, Idan kun (danginsu) ji tsõron bã zã su tsayar da iyãkõkin Allah ba, to, bãbu laifi a kansu a cikin abin da ta yi fansa da shi. Waɗancan iyãkõkin Allah ne sabõda haka kada ku kẽtare su. Kuma wanda ya ƙẽtare iyãkõkin Allah, to waɗannan su ne azzãlumai.
Ya kai Annabi! Idan kun saki mãtã, sai ku sake su ga iddarsu, kuma ku ƙididdige iddar. Kuma ku bi Allah Ubangijinku da taƙawa. Kada ku fitar da su daga gidãjensu, kuma kada su fita fãce idan sunã zuwa da wata alfãshã bayyananna. Kuma waɗancan iyakõkin Allah ne. Kuma wanda ya ƙẽtare iyãkõkin Allah, to, lalle ya zãlunci kansa. Ba ka sani ba ɗammãnin Allah zai fitar da wani al'amari a bãyan haka.
Kuma mãtã waɗanda aka saki aurensu, suna jinkiri da kansu tsarki uku. Kuma bã ya halatta a gare su, su ɓõye abin da Allah Ya halitta a cikin mahaifunsu, idan sun kasance suna yin ĩmãni da Allah da Rãnar Lãhira. Kuma mazan aurensu su ne mafiya haƙƙi ga mayar da su a cikin wancan, idan sun yi nufin gyãrawa. Kuma sũ mãtan suna da kamar abin da yake a kansu, yadda aka sani. Kuma maza suna da wata daraja a kansu (su mãtan). Kuma Allah Mabuwãyi ne, Mai hikima.
From the Sunnah
Sahih al-Bukhari 5273Authentic collection
The point of the hadith: The wife of Thabit ibn Qays came to the Prophet ﷺ because she disliked staying married. He had her return the garden she was given, and told Thabit to accept it and divorce her.
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا أَزْهَرُ بْنُ جَمِيلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ،. أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ، ثَابِتِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ مَا أَعْتُبُ عَلَيْهِ فِي خُلُقٍ وَلاَ دِينٍ، وَلَكِنِّي أَكْرَهُ الْكُفْرَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَرُدِّينَ عَلَيْهِ حَدِيقَتَهُ ". قَالَتْ نَعَمْ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْبَلِ الْحَدِيقَةَ وَطَلِّقْهَا تَطْلِيقَةً ". قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ لَا يُتَابَعُ فِيهِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ
This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.
Fiqh questions
Divorce and khul'
Allah says: divorce is twice, then either keep her with kindness or release her with good treatment (2:229). Divorce is allowed but disliked, and a last resort. It should be given once, in a state of purity, without intercourse in that period, and then the waiting period (iddah) follows (65:1). A woman may also seek a khul', as the wife of Thabit ibn Qays did in the time of the Prophet ﷺ.
Is this a fatwa?
No. It is a summary of well-known rulings with their evidence. For your own case, ask a qualified scholar.
What if my school differs from this answer?
Follow the view of the school you follow and the scholar who teaches you. The page lists the differences of the four schools.
