in return for compensation does not require a waiting period of three months; this would be an exception to the wording of the Quran. If this is said of divorce in return for compensation, then it applies all the more to khul'.

Alternatively, it must be said that what he meant by “Divorce her once” was khul', and that the Lawgiver makes no distinction between the terms khul' and divorce when compensation is involved. This is a release obtained by compensation, not the divorce referred to without qualification in Allah’s Book, as some of the early generations held. This comes back to the first meaning. In any event, if the Lawgiver has prescribed no waiting period in such a case, we know that it does not count toward the three divorces, for the Quran explicitly states that any divorce counted toward the three entails a waiting period.

Moreover, there is consensus on this as far as we know. We know of no one who disputed it and maintained that khul' counts as one of the three divorces yet entails no waiting period. This further supports the view that khul' is an annulment. Some of the reports from 'Uthmān and others have already been cited.

Yahyā ibn Bukayr reported: Al-Layth ibn Sa'd narrated to us, from Nāfi', the freedman of Ibn 'Umar, that he heard al-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwidh ibn 'Afrā' telling 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Umar that she had obtained khul' from her husband during the caliphate of 'Uthmān. Her uncle came to 'Uthmān and said:

“Mu'aydh’s daughter obtained khul' from her husband today. May she move out?”

'Uthmān replied:

“Let her move out. Neither inherits from the other, and she owes no waiting period. However, she must not marry until she has menstruated once, lest she be pregnant.”

'Abd Allāh ibn 'Umar said:

“Indeed, 'Uthmān is the best and most knowledgeable of us.”

Ibn Hazm said:

“Thus, 'Uthmān, al-Rubayyi'—who was a Companion—her uncle—who was one of the senior Companions—and Ibn 'Umar all held that annulment entails no waiting period.”