among the scholars.

The first is that the marriage bond is severed by the apostasy itself. This is the position of Abū Hanīfa, Mālik according to the well-known report from him, and Ahmad according to one of the two reports from him. On this view, any divorce pronounced thereafter is pronounced upon a woman who is no longer his wife, and therefore has no effect.

The second is that the marriage does not end until the waiting period expires. If he returns to Islam before the waiting period expires, their marriage remains intact. This is the position of al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad according to the other report from him.

On this view, if he pronounces divorce during the waiting period and returns to Islam before it expires, it becomes clear that he divorced his wife, and the divorce therefore takes effect. If, however, he does not return to Islam until the waiting period has expired, it becomes clear that he pronounced divorce upon a woman who was no longer his wife, and the divorce therefore has no effect. And Allah knows best.