If he says, “I meant seeking blessing, not making it contingent,” like the Prophet’s statement in the hadith: “And, if Allah wills, we shall join you” (1)—meaning the people of the graves—although we will certainly join them. It has therefore been said that what is meant is seeking blessing. Thus, if he says, “I meant seeking blessing,” the divorce takes effect. But is there, in this, any blessing for the woman? There may be, or there may not be. Yet we say that intending blessing means intending confirmation, because one who seeks blessing intends that the matter be fulfilled through the blessing of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

“If you enter the house, then you are divorced, if Allah wills”: she is divorced if she enters. “You are divorced because of Zayd’s approval,” or, “because of his will”: she is divorced immediately. But if he says, “I intended it as a condition,” his statement is accepted judicially. “You are divorced if you see the new moon”: if he intended her own sighting, she is not divorced until she sees it; otherwise, she is divorced after sunset upon someone else’s sighting.

His statement: “If you enter the house, then you are divorced, if Allah wills: she is divorced if she enters.” If she enters the house, we know that Allah, Exalted is He, willed her entering and willed her divorce, because that upon which the divorce was made contingent has occurred.

His statement: “You are divorced because of Zayd’s approval, or because of his will: she is divorced immediately.” In “because of Zayd’s approval,” the preposition indicates causation, and the cause precedes that which it causes. Thus, if he says, “You are divorced because of Zayd’s approval,” its meaning is: You are divorced because Zayd has approved of your divorce.

Likewise, if he says, “You are divorced because of Zayd’s will,” the meaning is: You are divorced because Zayd has willed that you be divorced; thus, she is divorced immediately.

His statement: “But if he says, ‘I intended it as a condition,’ his statement is accepted judicially.” That is, by my statement, “You are divorced because of Zayd’s approval,” I meant: You are divorced if Zayd approves. His statement is accepted judicially; that is, if the matter is brought before the judge and the husband says, “By that I meant…”