Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (13/201)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

The first is that she claims that her waiting period ended within a time in which it could not possibly have ended. Her claim is not heard at all, and the judge pays no attention to it.

The second is that she claims that it ended within a time in which it is possible, but unlikely and rare, for it to have ended. Her claim is heard, but not accepted except on the basis of evidence.

The third is that she claims that it ended within a time in which it could have ended, and in which its ending would not be unusual—that is, many women in her circumstances experience this. For example, if she claims that her waiting period ended after two months, this occurs frequently. Her claim is therefore accepted without evidence, because this is both possible and common; there is nothing preventing acceptance of her statement.

If the matter is the reverse—such as where he claims that the waiting period has ended, while she says that it has not ended—then her statement is accepted, because the presumption is that it continues. Moreover, Allah, Most High, has made the matter dependent upon her in His saying: “And it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs” [al-Baqarah 2:228]. This is the basic principle.

His statement: “If she initiates the matter by saying, ‘My waiting period has ended,’ and he says, ‘I had taken you back’; or if he initiates it with her and she denies it, then her statement is accepted”—these are two issues:

The first: if she initiates the matter and says, “My waiting period has ended,” and he says, “I had taken you back,” then her statement is accepted, because the presumption is that he did not take her back. If he produces evidence testifying that he took her back before her waiting period ended, then she remains his wife; but if he does not produce such evidence, then she does not, because her statement is accepted. This is the basic principle.

The second: if he initiates the matter with her—that is, he says, “I took you back”—and she says, “My waiting period had already ended,” and he says, “I took you back before the waiting period ended,” then the statement

الأولى: أن تدعي انقضاء العدة في زمن لا يمكن انقضاؤها فيه، فهذه لا تسمع دعواها أصلاً، ولا يلتفت إليها القاضي. الثانية: أن تدعي انقضاءها في زمن يمكن، لكنه بعيد ونادر، فهذه تسمع ولكن لا تقبل إلا ببينة. الثالثة: أن تدعي انقضاءها في زمن يمكن انقضاؤها فيه، ولا يندر أن تنقضي فيه، يعني أمثالها كثير، مثل لو ادعت انقضاءها في مدة شهرين فإن هذا أمر يقع كثيراً، فهذه تقبل بلا بينة؛ وذلك لأن هذا أمر يمكن وكثير، فليس هناك ما يمنع قولها. فإن كان الأمر بالعكس، كأن ادعى هو انقضاء العدة، وقالت: إنها لم تنقضِ، فالقول قولها هي؛ لأن الأصل بقاؤها، ولأن الله ـ تعالى ـ جعل الأمر راجعاً إليها في قوله: ﴿وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَنْ يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِي أَرْحَامِهِنَّ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٢٨]، وهذا هو الأصل. قوله: «وإن بدأته فقالت: انقضت عدتي، فقال: كنت راجعتك، أو بدأها به فأنكرته فقولها» هاتان مسألتان: الأولى: إذا بدأت وقالت: انقضت عدتي، فقال: كنت راجعتك، فالقول قولها؛ لأن الأصل عدم المراجعة، فإن أتى ببينة تشهد بأنه راجع قبل انقضاء عدتها فالزوجة زوجته، وإن لم يأتِ فلا؛ لأن القول قولها، وهذا هو الأصل. الثانية: إن بدأها به يعني قال: راجعتك، فقالت: قد انقضت عدتي، فقال: قد راجعتك قبل انقضاء العدة، فالقول