Divorce Section · 4 – Divorce According to Sunnah
From Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, is narrated:
In the era of prosperity, Omar bin al-Khattab divorced his wife while she was in a state of ritual impurity (menstruation).
Omar bin al-Khattab asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about its ruling.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Omar: “Order your son to seek reconciliation with his wife, then retain her until she is purified and experiences menstruation again, and then purifies herself once more. After that, he may either retain her or divorce her without intimacy. This is the waiting period (ʿidda) which Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has commanded regarding the divorce of women.”
Nafi, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Ibn Umar divorced his wife while he was young. Nafi transmitted this hadith in the meaning of a preceding hadith of Malik.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Ibn ‘Umar divorced his wife while she was in a state of ritual impurity. 'Umar related this to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Order your son to return to his wife, then either wait until she is purified or divorce her when she is pregnant.”
Salim bin Abdullah has narrated from his father, and he from his grandfather, saying:
Umar divorced his wife while she was in her menstrual period. Then Umar mentioned the matter to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), whereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) became angry. Then he said, “Order your son [i.e., grandson] to take back his wife, and then keep her until she becomes clean and menstruates again, and then becomes clean once more. After that, if he wishes, he may divorce her while she is clean. This is the prescribed waiting period (ʿidda) according to what the All-Glorious and Majestic Allah has commanded.”
Yunus bin Jubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
He asked Ibn Umar about how many revocable divorces he had given his wife. Ibn Umar said, "One."
Having narrated on the authority of Yunus bin Jubayr:
I asked Abdullah bin Umar about a man who divorces his wife during her menstrual period. He said to me, “Do you know Ibn Umar?” I said, "Yes."
He then told me that Abdullah ibn Umar had divorced his wife while she was menstruating. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and asked about its ruling. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Command him to return her. And then have intercourse with her before the end of her waiting period.”
I said, "Is divorcing a woman in her menstrual cycle considered [a divorce]?" Ibn Umar said, "Why shouldn't it be? Do you not see?”
[Footnote 169: This refers to whether such an action nullifies the divorce.]
According to a report from Abu Az-Zubayr, he heard Abdurrahman bin Ayman, the slave of Urwa, questioning Ibn Umar. Abu Az-Zubayr was present when they spoke. Abdurrahman asked: “What is the ruling regarding a man who divorces his wife during her menstrual period?” Ibn Umar replied: "Abdullah bin Umar divorced his wife while she was menstruating. Abdullah says: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, returned her to me and did not count that divorce." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Divorce her when she is purified.” Ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, recited the verse: "O Prophet, when you divorce women…" Ibn Dawud said: Yunus bin Jubayr, Anas bin Sirin, Said bin Jubayr, Zayd bin Aslam, Abu Az-Zubayr, and Abu Wail from Mansur also transmitted this hadith. Their meaning is that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded Ibn Umar to return his wife to him until she was purified. Then he gave him the option to either retain her or divorce her. Muhammad bin Abdurrahman also transmitted this hadith from Salim, who transmitted it from Ibn Umar. But Zuhri’s transmission from Salim, from Nafi’, from Ibn Umar is as follows: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded Ibn Umar to return his wife to him until she was purified, then menstruated again, then became purified again. Then he gave him the option to either divorce her or retain her.