Divorcing the wife three times in writing and taking her back, then divorcing her thrice again in writing

359

Q: I divorced my wife thrice by writing, "I hereby divorce my wife three times." I did not pronounce Talaq (divorce pronounced by a husband) verbally. This took place following a dispute between us. Later, I took her back in marriage in the presence of witnesses. She, then, offended me once more, so I divorced her thrice by writing these (Part No. 20; Page No. 140) words "She is divorced, divorced, divorced," without uttering them. Will Talaq be effective despite the absence of witnesses? Will Talaq be effective even if it is not verbally pronounced? Am I permitted to take her back in marriage?

A: If the reality is as mentioned; that you divorced your wife thrice in writing and took her back in marriage in the presence of witnesses, then divorced her again by writing: "You are divorced, divorced, divorced," your wife has become divorced thrice. This ruling applies so whether you uttered the word of Talaq or not, as long as you wrote it, and whether or not you had done that in the presence of witnesses. Accordingly, this is considered a major irrevocable divorce and the woman becomes unlawful for you unless she marries another person, not for the purpose of Tahlil (a marriage contracted for the sole purpose of legalizing remarriage between an irrevocably divorced couple), and this marriage ends lawfully. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.