Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (13/8)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

obligatory, prohibited, recommended, disliked, or permissible. Which is the basic ruling? The basic ruling is that it is disliked. The evidence is Allah’s statement concerning those who swear abstinence from their wives—that is, a man swears that he will not have intercourse with her: “But if they return, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And if they resolve upon divorce, then surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [al-Baqarah]

With regard to divorce, He says: “And if they resolve upon divorce, then surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” This contains a degree of warning. Yet regarding their return, He says: “But if they return, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” This indicates that divorce is not beloved to Allah, Exalted is He, and that the basic ruling is that it is disliked.

As for the hadith, “The most detested of lawful matters to Allah is divorce” (1), it is weak and inauthentic. Even with respect to its meaning, Allah’s statement, “And if they resolve upon divorce, then surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing,” [al-Baqarah] is sufficient in its place.

It is permissible when needed, ......................................

His statement, “It is permissible when needed,” means: when the husband has a need for it, divorce is permissible for him. For example, he may be unable to bear remaining with his wife, although Allah has indicated that patience is preferable, saying: “But if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good.” [al-Nisaʾ: 19]

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her qualities, he will be pleased with another.” (2)

Yet at times a person is unable to remain with such a wife; if he has such a need, it is permissible for him to divorce her. The evidence is Allah’s statement: “O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them with due regard for their waiting period,” [al-Talaq: 1],

(1) Reported by Abu Dawud, Book of Divorce, Chapter: The Dislike of Divorce (2178), and Ibn Majah, Book of Divorce, chapter (2018), on the authority of Ibn Umar. See: Al-Talkhis (1590) and Al-Irwa (2040). (2) Reported by Muslim, Book of Marriage, Chapter: Advising Good Treatment of Women (1467), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah.

واجباً، وحراماً، وسنَّة، ومكروهاً، ومباحاً، وما هو الأصل؟ الأصل الكراهة، والدليل قوله تعالى في الذين يؤلون من نسائهم، يعني يحلف أنه ما يطؤها قال: ﴿فَإِنْ فَاءُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾ ﴿وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا الطَّلَاقَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ *﴾ [البقرة]، ففي الطلاق قال: ﴿وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا الطَّلَاقَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ *﴾، وهذا فيه شيء من التهديد، لكن في الفيئة قال: ﴿وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا الطَّلَاقَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ *﴾ فدل هذا على أن الطلاق غير محبوب إلى الله ﷿، وأن الأصل الكراهة، وأما حديث: «أبغض الحلال إلى الله الطلاق» (١)، فهو ضعيف ولا يصح، حتى من حيث المعنى، يغني عنه قوله تعالى: ﴿وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا الطَّلَاقَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ *﴾ [البقرة]. يُبَاحُ لِلْحَاجَةِ، ...................................... قوله: «يباح للحاجة» أي: حاجة الزوج، فإذا احتاج فإنه يباح له، مثل أن لا يستطيع الصبر على امرأته، مع أن الله ﷾ أشار إلى أن الصبر أولى فقال: ﴿فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا﴾ [النساء: ١٩]، وقال ﷺ: «لا يفرك مؤمن مؤمنة، إن كره منها خلقاً رضي منها خلقاً آخر» (٢)، لكن أحياناً لا يتمكن الإنسان من البقاء مع هذه الزوجة، فإذا احتاج فإنه يباح له أن يطلق، والدليل قوله تعالى: ﴿يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ﴾ [الطلاق: ١]،

(١) أخرجه أبو داود في الطلاق/ باب في كراهية الطلاق (٢١٧٨)، وابن ماجه في الطلاق/ باب (٢٠١٨) عن ابن عمر ﵄، انظر: التلخيص (١٥٩٠)، والإرواء (٢٠٤٠). (٢) أخرجه مسلم في النكاح/ باب الوصية بالنساء (١٤٦٧) عن أبي هريرة ﵁.