As for “prohibited divorce,” such as divorcing her during menstruation or after having intercourse with her but before her pregnancy becomes apparent, this is prohibited by scholarly consensus. Likewise, pronouncing three divorces in one statement or several statements during a single period of purity is prohibited according to the majority of scholars. They disagree, however, about its effect. Some hold that all three divorces take effect; others hold that only one takes effect. The latter is the stronger view, supported by the Quran and Sunnah, as explained at length elsewhere.

Similarly, scholars hold two views on whether a prohibited divorce pronounced during menstruation or after intercourse takes effect. The stronger view is that it does not, just as a prohibited marriage or sale does not take effect. It is established in the Sahīh that Ibn ‘Abbās said:

“During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the time of Abū Bakr, and the early part of ‘Umar’s caliphate, a triple divorce counted as one.”

It is also established in the Musnad of Ahmad:

“Rukānah ibn ‘Abd Yazīd divorced his wife three times in a single sitting. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘It counts as one.’”

Nothing contrary to this Sunnah has been established from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Rather, reports that appear to contradict it are either weak—indeed, outweighed by stronger evidence—or authentic but do not indicate anything contrary to it, as explained at length elsewhere. And Allah knows best.