The Necessary Expressions to Pronounce with the Decision to Divorce

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the case of a man who says to his wife, ‘You are unlawful for me, you are stranger to me, you are cut off, you are free and your way is clear.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘All of such expressions do not have any valid effect in the form of divorce. Divorce is when one just before waiting period, after her becoming clean from Hayd (menses) without sexual intercourse says, ‘Anti Taliq (you are let go, divorced) or ’ 1‘tady (commence waiting period) intending thereby Talaq (divorce) which must be in the presence of two witnesses.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Divorce takes place when he says, “I‘tady (commence waiting period) or says, ‘Anti Taliq (you are let go, divorced).”’

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Divorce with waiting period is that by which a man divorces his wife whenever she is clean of Hayd (menses) and sends her a message to commence her waiting period because so and so has divorced her.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He has the authority to go back to her as long as waiting period is not complete.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He (the husband) can send a message to his wife saying, ‘You must commence your waiting period because so and so has departed you.’ “Ibn Sama‘ah has said that the meaning of the words of the messenger, ‘You must commence your waiting period because so and so has departed you,’ is that he has divorced you because there is no departing without divorce. “Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn Sama‘ah from Ali ibn al-Hassan al-T’atriy who has said that what is unanimously agreed upon to say for divorce is to say, ‘Anti Taliq ’ (you are let go, divorced) or ’’I‘tadi’ (you must commence your waiting period). He has mentioned that he asked Muhammad ibn Hamzah about how to arrange witnesses for his word, T’tadi’ (you must commence your waiting period). He said that one must say, ‘Bear witness 7 ‘tadi’ (commence waiting period).’ Ibn Sama‘ah has said, ‘Muhammad ibn abu Hamzah has made a mistake in saying, ‘Bear witness ‘ ‘1‘tadi’ (commence waiting period).’ Al-Hassan ibn Sama‘ah has said that it is proper to come with witnesses to her place or take her to the witnesses to their homes and this is not possible to happen. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, does not make it obligatory on His slaves. Al-Hassan has said, ‘Divorce is nothing other than what Bukayr ibn ‘A‘yan has narrated that one must say to her when she is clean of Hayd (menses) without sexual intercourse ‘Anti Taliq ’ (you are let go) or ‘ 7 ‘tadi’ (commence waiting period) in the presence of two witnesses. All other expressions are invalid.’”