Answered by: Maulana Nazrul Islam
Question:
Laptop Keyboard has DELETE and END buttons. Does pressing these buttons consider typing a kinaya statement?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
There are two types of written divorce;
Writing (addressing) to his wife, and not addressing his wife (Marsoomah مرسومة, and Ghair Marsoomah غير مرسومة).
Then each one of these has two types;
Clear to read and understand, and unclear to read or understand (Mustabinah مستبينة, and Ghair Mustabinah غير مستبينة).
In a situation where the writing is unclear, divorce will not occur irrespective of whether it is Marsumah or Ghair Marsumah or whether he made an intention or not.
In a situation where the writing is clear but it is not directed or written to his wife, the divorce will occur if he made an intention. (1)
Pressing delete or end buttons are not considered Kinayah statements as they’re just buttons, they’re not words and cannot be understood by themselves.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Nazrul Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
(1)ِ (قَوْلُهُ كَتَبَ الطَّلَاقَ إلَخْ) قَالَ فِي الْهِنْدِيَّةِ: الْكِتَابَةُ عَلَى نَوْعَيْنِ: مَرْسُومَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مَرْسُومَةٍ، وَنَعْنِي بِالْمَرْسُومَةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا مِثْلُ مَا يُكْتَبُ إلَى الْغَائِبِ. وَغَيْرُ الْمَرْسُومَةِ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ مُصَدَّرًا وَمُعَنْوَنًا، وَهُوَ عَلَى وَجْهَيْنِ: مُسْتَبِينَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُسْتَبِينَةٍ، فَالْمُسْتَبِينَةُ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الصَّحِيفَةِ وَالْحَائِطِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَلَى وَجْهٍ يُمْكِنُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ. وَغَيْرُ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ مَا يُكْتَبُ عَلَى الْهَوَاءِ وَالْمَاءِ وَشَيْءٌ لَا يُمْكِنُهُ فَهْمُهُ وَقِرَاءَتُهُ. فَفِي غَيْرِ الْمُسْتَبِينَةِ لَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَإِنْ نَوَى، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُسْتَبِينَةً لَكِنَّهَا غَيْرَ مَرْسُومَةٍ إنْ نَوَى الطَّلَاقَ وَإِلَّا لَا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَرْسُومَةً يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ ثُمَّ الْمَرْسُومَةُ لَا تَخْلُو إمَّا أَنْ أَرْسَلَ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ، فَكَمَا كَتَبَ هَذَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَتَلْزَمُهَا الْعِدَّةُ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْكِتَابَةِ. وَإِنْ عَلَّقَ طَلَاقَهَا بِمَجِيءِ الْكِتَابِ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ: إذَا جَاءَك كِتَابِي فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ فَجَاءَهَا الْكِتَابُ فَقَرَأَتْهُ أَوْ لَمْ تَقْرَأْ يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ كَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ
رد المحتار، ج٣، ص٢٤٦، دار الفكر–بيروت