Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

Resolution No.(63): “Ignorance of Spouses Regarding the Necessity of Renewing their Marriage Contract after Minor Revocable Divorce“

Date: 5/3/1424 AH corresponding to 7/5/2003 AD.

 

The Board received the following question:

I made revocable divorce to my wife in return for absolution after the consummation of the marriage contract. Later on, I went to my wife and her family and showed remorse over what I have done. I expressed my wish to take her back and after prolonged discussions, I managed to convince them to do so. However, being ignorant of the Sharia ruling in this regard, I took her home without renewing our marriage contract and we lived together and had a number of children. We have recently realized that we should have renewed our marriage contract. Now, we are perplexed as to what we are supposed to do, would you please guide us to do what is right in our situation?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

The Board is of the view that due to the ignorance of both spouses as regards the ruling of Sharia on their divorce and its consequences, they should make repentance and seek forgiveness for the period, which they spent without renewing their marriage contract. They should also renew their marriage contract, and the children born during that period are considered theirs because they begot them while being ignorant of the Sharia ruling in question. 

And Allah Knows Best.

Iftaa` Board

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izz Al-Deen Al-Tamimi

                Dr. Mohammad Abu Yahia     

    Dr. Ahmad Hilayil       

       Dr. Yousef Gheezaan   

Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

     Sheikh Saeid Hijjawi   

           Sheikh Naeim Mujahid      

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Summarized Fatawaa

My husband has deprived me of visiting my family and is threatening to take my 7-month-old baby girl. Is he entitled to do so?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
Your question is unclear, but family visitation is a legitimate right of yours. However, if he deprives you from this, try to convince him with wisdom and fair preaching. If there is a problem between you two, try to fix it. As for your daughter, you are most entitled to her custody anyway. Even if he divorced you, the girl remains under your care so long as you don`t get married. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling on a man leading his sisters in obligatory prayer, or Taraweeh prayer (Night prayer in Ramadan)?

The prayer of the man who leads his wife, or sisters in prayer is valid, but it is more rewarding for him to offer obligatory prayer in the mosque. And Allah Knows Best.

I have a question regarding the deferred portion of the dowry (Mahr)*. Is the wife entitled to it only upon divorce or she can claim it even if divorce hasn`t taken place? Moreover, does she have the right to claim this portion after death of husband, even if he didn`t divorce her before that?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
In the marriage contract, it is recorded that the deferred portion of the dowry is due upon divorce or death, whatever comes first. If divorce took place first then the woman is entitled to it and if the husband died this amount must be paid from his estate. On the other hand, if the woman died then the husband becomes liable for this portion and it becomes part of the woman`s estate. We advise every husband to give this portion to his wife while alive because it is a right of hers. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
* In Islam, a Mahr is the obligation, in the form of money or possessions paid by the groom, to the bride at the time of Islamic marriage (payment also has circumstances on when and how to pay). While the mahr is often money, it can also be anything agreed upon by the bride such as jewelry, home goods, furniture, a dwelling or some land. Mahr is typically specified in the marriage contract signed upon marriage.

Is it permissible to perform Tayammum for a month due to a medical condition that requires avoiding water?

Tayammum is permissible so long as the above excuse lasts. And Allah Knows Best.