Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

An adult woman who was no longer a virgin had no marriage guardian other than the judge, who married her off because she had no other guardians. Her husband subsequently divorced her in exchange for compensation, and she released him from his obligation to pay the dowry without the judge’s permission. Are the divorce and the release valid?

He replied:

If she is legally competent to dispose of her property without compensation, her divorce in exchange for compensation and her release of him from the obligation are valid without the judge’s permission.

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

A woman’s husband said to her, “If you release me from my obligation, you are divorced.” She released him, and she was not legally barred from managing her property, nor did she have a father or brother. She then claimed that she was financially imprudent in order to invalidate the release.

He replied:

The release is not invalidated merely by her claim. Even if evidence established that she was financially imprudent, but she had not been legally barred from managing her property, that would not invalidate the release—even if she was managing her own affairs. And Allah knows best.