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Divorce in a state of extreme anger
Question
I have a wife and children from her. My wife is short-tempered and I endured her as much as was possible as I am also short-tempered. One day as I was getting ready for work, she picked an argument with me over some matter. She was so relentless that I had to go to another room but she followed me there. I went to the bathroom but once again she followed me, pushed the door and continued to provoke me. In obvious defiance, she asked twice for a divorce. I tried to suppress my anger but when she provoked me, I exploded with rage and uttered the divorce statement; although I was aware of my words, I could not stop myself. Allah knows I never intended to divorce her nor did I want to as I have children from her but my suppressed anger at her defiance pushed me to utter the divorce statement. I was careful not to divorce my wife as this would be the third divorce and would destroy the family but my extreme anger got the better of me. Allah is my witness that when I had calmed down, I regretted what my anger led me to do. When I uttered the divorce statement, my wife was experiencing menstruation. What is the ruling on this divorce?
Answer
Islamic law devoted special attention to marital life by considering spouses as garments for each other:
They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. [Qur`an 2: 187]
In Islamic law, the wife provides peace, tranquility and stability for her husband. Allah put love and mercy between the spouses. He says,
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. [Qur`an 30: 21]
Islamic law warns against terminating marital life except if it is impossible for spouses to continue in their marriage. Divorce without an excuse is the worst lawful thing. The Prophet
said, "Of all the lawful things, divorce s the most abhorrent to Allah." It is because of this that a husband must be in a stable psychological condition at the time of divorce.
said, "Of all the lawful things, divorce s the most abhorrent to Allah." It is because of this that a husband must be in a stable psychological condition at the time of divorce.A husband must not be insane, an idiot, compelled [to divorce his wife], asleep or in a state of extreme anger that causes him to lose control of himself or his reason. The Prophet said, "Allah has forgiven the people of my community their mistakes, forgetfulness and that which they are forced to do." And he said, "There is no divorce or freeing of slaves when one is forced or in a state of intense anger."
said, "Allah has forgiven the people of my community their mistakes, forgetfulness and that which they are forced to do." And he said, "There is no divorce or freeing of slaves when one is forced or in a state of intense anger." If, as mentioned in the question, anger and exasperation caused the husband to lose his self control such that he could not prevent himself from uttering the divorce statement, then the divorce is null and void.
The ruling
If the case is as mentioned in the question, then divorce has not been effected.
Allah the Almighty knows best.
