He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was also asked:

A man divorced his wife three times. They have two children, and she has continued living in his house for years, with each seeing the other. Is the food she receives from him lawful for her to eat? Does he have any authority over her?

He replied:

A woman divorced three times is, in relation to the man, like any other woman who is neither his wife nor an unmarriageable relative. He may not be alone with her, just as he may not be alone with any such woman. Nor may he look at any part of her that he may not look at in such a woman. He has no authority over her whatsoever. He may not arrange with her for her to marry another man, then obtain a divorce from him and return to her first husband. Nor may he give her money to spend on that.

Indeed, even if she married another man in an ordinary marriage of the kind customary among Muslims, and her husband then died or divorced her three times, the first husband would not be permitted to propose marriage to her explicitly during her waiting period. This is agreed upon by the Muslims. As Allah Most High says:

“There is no blame upon you for hinting at a proposal of marriage to women or for concealing it within yourselves. Allah knows that you will think of them, but do not make secret promises to them.”

He also forbade him to resolve upon the marriage contract until the prescribed term reaches its end—that is, until the waiting period is over.

If He has forbidden such promises and resolve during the waiting period, how much more so while she is still married to her husband? And how much more so when the man has not yet married her, and a mutual agreement is made