his wife with a single pronouncement of divorce once her menstruation has ended, after she has performed the ritual bath and before he has intercourse with her. He must then leave her without pronouncing another divorce until her waiting period has ended. This is called “divorce in accordance with the Sunnah.” If he wishes to take her back during the waiting period, he may do so without her consent or that of her guardian, and without a new dower.

If he leaves her until her waiting period has ended, he must release her with kindness, for the marriage bond between them has now been severed. If he wishes to marry her after the waiting period has ended, he may do so, but a marriage contract is required, just as when marrying her for the first time or when another man marries her. Should he then take her back during the waiting period, or marry her after it has ended, and wish to divorce her, he must divorce her as described above. Then, if he takes her back or marries her a second time and wishes to divorce her, he must again divorce her as described above.

Once he has divorced her for the third time, she becomes unlawful to him until she marries another husband, as Allah and His Messenger have ordained. She does not then become lawful to him unless another man marries her in the customary manner in which people marry, wishing to be married to the woman, and subsequently separates from her. If, however, he marries her with the intention of making her lawful for another man, this is prohibited according to most scholars, as has been transmitted from the Companions, those who followed them in righteousness, and others, and as indicated by the Prophetic texts and the evidence of the Sharia. Some scholars have permitted this, as has been explained elsewhere.