If this religion and its gracious rulings were presented to people as they truly are—free of the fabrications of slanderers and the myths of extremists—every fair-minded person would accept it, the religion would become the prevailing system, and its universal mission would be fulfilled.

Hadith 1
ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) divorced his wife while she was menstruating. ʿUmar reported this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became angry. He then said, “Let him take her back, keep her until she becomes pure, then let her menstruate again and become pure. If he still wishes to divorce her, let him do so before touching her. That is the waiting period (ʿiddah) as Allah has commanded.”

In another wording: “…until she experiences a forthcoming menstrual period other than the one during which he divorced her.”

In yet another wording: “That pronouncement was counted as one of her divorces, and ʿAbd Allah took her back as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had ordered.”

Overall meaning:
ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar divorced his wife while she was in her menses. When his father informed the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ expressed anger because this was a forbidden form of divorce that conflicts with the Sunnah. He instructed Ibn ʿUmar to take her back and keep her until she purified herself from that period, then to wait until she menstruated a second time and purified herself again. After that, if he still wished to divorce her and had no desire to keep her, he could pronounce divorce before having marital relations with her. That is the period in which Allah has permitted divorce for anyone who chooses it. Although divorce during menses is unlawful and unsunnah, that single pronouncement was nonetheless counted, so Ibn ʿUmar obeyed and took her back.

Lessons derived from the hadith:

1. Divorce during menstruation is prohibited; it is an innovated (bidʿī) form of divorce that contravenes the Lawgiver’s command.

2. The Prophet’s ﷺ order that Ibn ʿUmar take her back proves that the divorce had taken effect, because revocation (rujuʿ) only follows a valid divorce. Scholars differ on the ruling, as will be discussed later, Allah willing. The apparent sense of the command indicates obligation; this is the view of Abu Ḥanīfah, Aḥmad, and al-Awzāʿī. Others, including al-Shāfiʿī and one narration from Aḥmad, consider it recommended, arguing that since initiating marriage is not obligatory, continuing it is likewise not obligatory.

3. Whoever divorces his wife while she is menstruating must take her back and keep her until she becomes pure, then wait until she menstruates and becomes pure once more.