My husband has given me talaq raji and we are over the three month waiting period.. Does this mean we are no longer married?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, Talaaq e Raj’ie is a type of divorce wherein the husband divorces his wife in explicit terms. For example, he says “I divorce you”, or “You are divorced”.
Once the husband utters such type of words, the wife becomes divorced and she has to sit in ‘Iddah (waiting period) for three menstrual cycles if she experiences menses, or three months if she does not experience menses or child birth if she has conceived.
If the husband wishes to take her back, he may do so during the ‘Iddah period. The husband may take her back verbally, for example he says to her “I take you back” etc., or by being intimate with her, for example, kissing her etc.[1]
If the husband does not take her back as explained above during the Iddah period, the divorce becomes an irrevocable divorce.[2] Therefore, if he wishes to take her back (after the Iddah period has finished), he may do so after renewing the Nikah.[3]
In the enquired situation, the marriage has been terminated if you had completed your ‘Iddah period as explained above. The ‘Iddah is not necessarily only three months. If you wish to reconcile with your husband, you may do so by renewing the Nikah.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Fahad Abdul Wahab
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
الرَّجْعَةُ إبْقَاءُ النِّكَاحِ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مَا دَامَتْ فِي الْعِدَّةِ كَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ وَهِيَ عَلَى ضَرْبَيْنِ: سُنِّيٌّ وَبِدْعِيٌّ (فَالسُّنِّيُّ) أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا بِالْقَوْلِ وَيُشْهِدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا شَاهِدَيْنِ وَيُعْلِمَهَا بِذَلِكَ فَإِذَا رَاجَعَهَا بِالْقَوْلِ نَحْوُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهَا: رَاجَعْتُك أَوْ رَاجَعْتُ امْرَأَتِي وَلَمْ يُشْهِدْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَشْهَدَ وَلَمْ يُعْلِمْهَا بِذَلِكَ فَهُوَ بِدْعِيٌّ مُخَالِفٌ لِلسُّنَّةِ وَالرَّجْعَةُ صَحِيحَةٌ وَإِنْ رَاجَعَهَا بِالْفِعْلِ مِثْلُ أَنْ يَطَأَهَا أَوْ يُقَبِّلَهَا بِشَهْوَةٍ أَوْ يَنْظُرَ إلَى فَرْجِهَا بِشَهْوَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَصِيرُ مُرَاجِعًا عِنْدَنَا إلَّا أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ وَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِالْإِشْهَادِ كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ
[الفتاوي العالمكيرية ج١ ص٤٧٦ مكتبة رشيدية]
وَأَمَّا رُكْنُ الرَّجْعَةِ فَهُوَ قَوْلٌ أَوْ فِعْلٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى الرَّجْعَةِ
[بدائع الصنائع ج٤ ص٣٩٩ دار الكتب العلمية]
[2] فَإِنْ طَلَّقَهَا وَلَمْ يُرَاجِعْهَا بَلْ تَرَكَهَا حَتَّى انْقَضَتْ عِدَّتُهَا بَانَتْ، وَهَذَا عِنْدَنَا
[المرجع السابق ص٣٩١]
[3] وَأَمَّا شَرَائِطُ جَوَازِ الرَّجْعَةِ فَمِنْهَا قِيَامُ الْعِدَّةِ، فَلَا تَصِحُّ الرَّجْعَةُ بَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ الْعِدَّةِ؛ لِأَنَّ الرَّجْعَةَ اسْتِدَامَةُ الْمِلْكِ، وَالْمِلْكُ يَزُولُ بَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ الْعِدَّةِ، فَلَا تُتَصَوَّرُ الِاسْتِدَامَةُ إذْ الِاسْتِدَامَةُ لِلْقَائِمِ لِصِيَانَتِهِ عَنْ الزَّوَالِ لَا لِلْمُزِيلِ كَمَا فِي الْبَيْعِ بِشَرْطِ الْخِيَارِ لِلْبَائِعِ إذَا مَضَتْ مُدَّةُ الْخِيَارِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَمْلِكُ اسْتِيفَاءَ الْمِلْكِ فِي الْمَبِيعِ بِزَوَالِ مِلْكِهِ بِمُضِيِّ الْمُدَّةِ.
[المرجع السابق ص٤٠٠]
إذَا كَانَ الطَّلَاقُ بَائِنًا دُونَ الثَّلَاثِ فَلَهُ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَهَا فِي الْعِدَّةِ وَبَعْدَ انْقِضَائِهَا
[الفتاوي العالمكيرية ج١ ص٤٧٢ مكتبه رشيدية ]