istibraʾ, which means waiting until it is known that the womb is free; and it is evident that what is meant here is observing the waiting period, since istibraʾ only follows a divorce.

His statement, “Separate yourself,” is likewise an allusive expression. The reason it indicates divorce is that divorce is, in reality, a separation. Although his saying, “Separate yourself,” may mean: you sleep in one bed while I sleep in another, or you stay in one part of the house while I stay in another, yet since it may denote separation, we class it among the allusive expressions for divorce.

His statement, “You are not my wife,” in fact comes close to indicating an irrevocable separation, because a revocably divorced woman retains the legal status of a wife. Thus, if a man divorces his wife once, she remains in his house: she may adorn herself for him, beautify herself for him, apply perfume for him, and uncover her face, forearms, upper arms, chest, and abdomen. But if she is irrevocably divorced, she veils herself from him just as she veils herself from an unrelated man. Thus, if he says, “You are not my wife,” the apparent indication is that of an irrevocable separation. The jurists classify this among the hidden allusive expressions, though it is closer to the evident allusive expressions. Yet he may say: “By my saying, ‘You are not my wife,’ I meant that you are stubborn and disobey my commands. A woman does not normally act stubbornly or disobey, and the way you behave with me is not how a wife behaves with her husband.” We say: this is possible; hence, we say that it is not an explicit expression, but belongs to the category of hidden allusive expressions.

His statement, “Go back to your family,” means: go to your family. This is a hidden allusive expression.

His statement, “and similar expressions.” (1)