Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (13/17)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

by intentions, and every person shall have only what he intended.” (1) Whoever does not comprehend a matter cannot intend it.

If a person loses his reason through an excusable cause, his divorce does not take effect.

His statement, “If a person loses his reason through an excusable cause, his divorce does not take effect”: Loss of reason, in reality, has many categories and forms. One is for a person to lose his reason through sleep. Thus, if a man falls asleep and we hear him say to his wife, “You are divorced,” or say, “So-and-so, daughter of so-and-so, my wife, is divorced,” she is not divorced, because he has no reason at that time. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The Pen has been lifted from three ...,” among whom is “the sleeping person until he awakens.” (2)

Another is for a person to lose his reason through unconsciousness. For example, if a man loses consciousness and divorces his wife while unconscious, his divorce does not take effect. Another is for him to lose his reason through anaesthesia: for example, a man is anaesthetized for medical treatment and, while under anaesthesia, divorces his wife; his divorce does not take effect, because he is excused.

Another is for a person to lose his reason through senility, such as an elderly man who has reached the stage of delirium and rambling, so that he has no concern but divorcing his wife: whenever she brings him tea or coffee, he says, “You are divorced.” His divorce does not take effect, because he has no reason. Likewise, if a man drinks wine without knowing that it is wine, becomes intoxicated, and then divorces his wife, his divorce does not take effect, because he is excused. Similarly, if he is coerced into drinking wine, drinks it, becomes intoxicated, and then divorces his wife, his divorce likewise does not take effect, because he is excused.

(1) Recorded by al-Bukhari in Bad' al-Wahy (The Beginning of Revelation), chapter: “How did revelation begin to come to the Messenger of Allah?” (1), and by Muslim in al-Imarah (Leadership), chapter: “His statement: ‘Actions are only by intentions’” (1907), on the authority of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. (2) Recorded by Abu Dawud in al-Hudud (Prescribed Punishments), chapter: “Regarding the insane person who steals” (4401), and by al-Tirmidhi in Abwab al-Hudud (Chapters on Prescribed Punishments), chapter: “What has been reported concerning those upon whom the prescribed punishment is not obligatory” (1423), on the authority of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. It was also recorded by al-Nasai in al-Talaq (Divorce), chapter: “Whose divorce is not effected” (6:156), on the authority of Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her.

بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى» (١)، ومن لا يعقل الشيء لا ينويه. وَمَنْ زَالَ عَقْلُهُ مَعْذُوراً لَمْ يَقَعْ طَلَاقُهُ، .................. قوله: «ومن زال عقله معذوراً لم يقع طلاقه» زوال العقل في الحقيقة له أقسام وصور كثيرة؛ منها أن يزول عقله بالنوم، فإذا نام إنسان وسمعناه يقول لزوجته: أنت طالق، أو يقول: فلانة بنت فلان زوجتي طالق، فلا تطلق؛ لأنه لا عقل له، وقد قال النبي ﷺ: «رفع القلم عن ثلاثة … » ومنهم «النائم حتى يستيقظ» (٢)، ومنها أن يزول عقله بإغماء مثل إنسان أغمي عليه وطلق زوجته في حال إغمائه فلا يقع طلاقه، ومنها أن يزول عقله بالبنج مثل: إنسان بنج للدواء، وفي حال البنج طلق زوجته فلا يقع طلاقه؛ لأنه معذور، ومنها أن يزول عقله بالخرف، كعجوز وصل إلى التخريف والهذر وصار لا هَمَّ له إلا تطليق زوجته، وكلما أتت له بالشاي أو القهوة قال: أنت طالق، فلا يقع طلاقه؛ لأنه لا عقل له؛ ولو أن رجلاً شرب الخمر جاهلاً أنه خمر، فسكر، فطلق لا يقع طلاقه؛ لأنه معذور، وكذا لو أكره على شرب الخمر فشربه فسكر فطلق، فكذلك لا يقع طلاقه؛ لأنه معذور.

(١) أخرجه البخاري في بدء الوحي/ باب كيف كان بدء الوحي إلى رسول الله ﷺ؟ (١)، ومسلم في الإمارة/ باب قوله: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات» (١٩٠٧) عن عمر بن الخطاب ﵁. (٢) أخرجه أبو داود في الحدود/ باب في المجنون يسرق … (٤٤٠١)، والترمذي في أبواب الحدود/ باب ما جاء فيمن لا يجب عليه الحد (١٤٢٣) عن علي ﵁، وأخرجه النسائي في الطلاق/ باب من لا يقطع طلاقه … (٦/ ١٥٦) عن عائشة ﵂.