be permissible, since that would not be a divorce at the commencement of a waiting period. Moreover, He said:

“Then, when they approach the end of their waiting period, either retain them honourably or part with them honourably.”

He thus gave the husband the choice between taking her back and allowing her to complete the waiting period, thereby releasing her graciously. If he divorces her a second time before the waiting period ends, he has neither retained her honourably nor released her graciously.

Allah, Exalted is He, also said:

“Divorced women shall wait for three cycles. It is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. Their husbands have a greater right to take them back during that period.”

This implies that such is the situation of every divorced woman; thus, He prescribed only this form of divorce. He then said:

“Divorce is twice.”

That is, the divorce just described may occur twice. If someone is told, “Glorify Allah twice,” or “three times,” it is not sufficient for him merely to say, “Glory be to Allah twice.” Rather, he must utter the glorification once after another. Likewise, one can only say, “He divorced her twice,” if he divorced her on one occasion and then another. If he says, “You are divorced three times,” or “twice,” one cannot say that he divorced her on three occasions or two occasions, although one may say that he pronounced three divorces or two divorces.

Then He said:

“If he divorces her, she is not lawful for him thereafter until she marries another husband.”

Allah prescribed this third divorce only after two occasions of revocable divorce.

Allah, Exalted is He, also said:

“When you divorce women and they have completed their waiting period, do not prevent them from remarrying their husbands.”

And so the verse continues. This applies only where fewer than three divorces have occurred, yet it encompasses every divorce. It is therefore clear that combining three divorces is not prescribed. And the proofs that pronouncing three divorces together is forbidden