Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (13/33)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

may be due after a month or two. He may therefore wish to deliberate over the matter, or perhaps he does not wish to confront her directly with the divorce.

If the husband returns before the agent has pronounced the divorce, the agency is revoked, because he has the right to revoke it. But if he returns after the agent has pronounced the divorce, then the divorce has taken effect. If he revokes the agency before the agent pronounces the divorce, but the agent is unaware of this and pronounces it, should we say that the divorce has not taken effect, or that it has taken effect because the agent acted on an original presumption whose cessation had not been established? The scholars hold two views on this. Some say that once he dismisses the agent—even if the agent does not know—the agency is terminated. Thus, if he pronounces the divorce, he does so while no longer being an agent, and his divorce does not take effect.

Others say that if he pronounces the divorce before learning that he has been dismissed, the woman is divorced, because he acted on an original presumption—namely, that of the agency—whose cessation had not been established.

The view closer to what is correct is that the divorce does not take effect, because once the husband revokes the agency, the agent no longer has the authority to pronounce divorce. However, if, after the agent has pronounced the divorce, the husband claims that he had dismissed him beforehand, he must produce evidence. This is why, when a principal dismisses an agent, he must have witnesses, lest the woman’s family deny it when they desire separation from the husband.

An agent may not appoint another agent. Hence he says, “and he pronounces the divorce,” meaning that the agent himself pronounces it; he may not appoint someone else as agent.

His wife is like his agent with regard to divorcing herself.

The author’s statement, “His wife is like his agent with regard to divorcing herself,” indicates that it is permissible for a man to appoint his wife as his agent to divorce herself. This is more unusual than the previous case. Thus, he may say, “I appoint you as my agent to divorce yourself,” because she acts just as an agent acts. She may therefore divorce herself, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave his wives the choice

يكون بعد شهر أو شهرين، فيتأنى في الأمر، أو ربما أنه لا يحب أنه يجابهها بالطلاق. فإذا رجع الزوج فإن كان قبل أن يطلق الوكيل انفسخت الوكالة؛ لأن له أن يفسخ، وإن كان بعد أن طلق فقد مضى الطلاق، وإذا فسخ الوكالة قبل أن يطلق الوكيل، والوكيل لم يعلم وطلَّق، فهل نقول: إن الطلاق لم يقع، أو نقول: إنه وقع؛ لأن الوكيل بنى على أصل لم يثبت زواله؟ في هذا رأيان للعلماء، منهم من قال: إنه إذا عزله ـ وإن لم يعلم ـ انعزل، فإذا طلَّقَ طَلَّقَ وهو غير وكيل، فلا يقع طلاقه. ومنهم من قال: إذا طلق قبل العلم بالعزل فإن المرأة تطلق؛ لأنه بنى على أصل ـ وهو التوكيل ـ لم يثبت زواله. والأقرب أنه لم يقع الطلاق؛ لأنه بفسخه الوكالة زال ملك الوكيل أن يطلق، لكن لو ادعى بعد أن طلق الوكيل أنه عزله قبل فلا بد من بينة، ولهذا إذا عزل الوكيل فلا بد أن يشهد؛ حتى لا ينكر أهل الزوجة إذا كانوا يريدون فراق الزوج. وليس للوكيل أن يوكل آخر، ولهذا قال: «ويطلق» أي: يطلق الوكيل نفسه، وليس له أن يوكل. وَامْرأَتُهُ كَوَكِيلِهِ فِي طَلَاقِ نَفْسِهَا. قوله: «وامرأته كوكيلِهِ في طلاق نفسها» أفادنا المؤلف أنه يجوز أن يوكل امرأته في طلاق نفسها؛ وهذه أغرب من الأولى، فيجوز أن يقول: وكلتكِ أن تطلقي نفسك؛ لأنها تتصرف كما يتصرف الوكيل، فلها أن تطلق نفسها، كما خير النبي ـ عليه