are many and compelling, drawn from the Quran and Sunnah, transmitted reports, and reasoned consideration, as explained in detail elsewhere. The reason is that “the basic rule concerning divorce is prohibition”; it is permitted only to the extent needed. As authentically reported from Jābir, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Iblīs sets his throne upon the sea and sends out his detachments. Those held closest to him are those who cause the greatest turmoil. A devil comes to him and says, ‘I kept after him until he did such-and-such.’ Eventually, a devil comes to him and says, ‘I kept after him until I separated him from his wife.’ He then draws him close, saying, ‘You are the one! You are the one!’ and embraces him.”

Allah, Exalted is He, said in condemnation of sorcery:

“They learned from them that by which they caused separation between a man and his wife.”

The Sunan collections report that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Women who seek divorce in return for compensation and those who seek to break away from their husbands are hypocrites.”

The Sunan collections also report that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Any woman who asks her husband for a divorce without any hardship necessitating it will be forbidden the fragrance of Paradise.”

For this reason, divorce is permitted only three times, and after the third divorce the woman becomes unlawful for him until she marries another husband. Since divorce is permitted only to meet a need, and that need is met by a single divorce, anything beyond that remains subject to the original prohibition.

The second principle concerns whether a prohibited divorce, known as an “innovated divorce,” takes effect when someone pronounces it. The earlier and later generations differed over this. The majority hold that it takes effect, while affirming that it is prohibited. Others hold that it does not take effect, including Tāwūs, Ikrima, Khilās, Umar, Muhammad ibn Ishāq, Hajjāj ibn Artāh, and the literalists: