Chapter on the Divorce of a Missing Person

Hadith.4883 - In a narration from Umar ibn Udhayna through Buraid ibn Mu'awiyah, it is reported that he asked Abu Abdullah (as) about the ruling concerning the wife of a missing person. Imam (as) replied: "As long as she remains silent about him and is patient, she should be left as she is. However, if she raises the matter to the authority, the ruler will wait for four years. Then, a letter will be sent to the region where he was lost, inquiring about him. If news of his life is received, she must remain patient. If no information about his life is found after four years, the guardian of the missing husband will be summoned and asked if the missing person has any wealth. If he has wealth, it should be spent on her until his life or death becomes known. If he has no wealth, the guardian will be instructed to provide for her. If he agrees, she cannot remarry as long as he supports her. However, if he refuses to provide for her, the ruler will compel him to issue a divorce while she is in a state of purity. This divorce by the guardian will be considered as a divorce by the husband. If the husband returns before her waiting period ends and wishes to reconcile, she remains his wife and is counted as having two remaining divorces. But if the waiting period ends before his return and reconciliation, she becomes permissible for other men, and the first husband has no claim over her."

Hadith.4884 - In another narration, it is reported: "If the missing husband has no guardian, the ruler will pronounce the divorce on his behalf, witnessing it with two just witnesses. This divorce by the ruler will be considered as the husband's divorce. The woman will then observe a waiting period (iddah) of four months and ten days. After completing this period, she may remarry if she wishes."

"If a man is reported dead to his family or they are informed that he has divorced his wife, and she observes her waiting period (iddah) and then remarries, but later her first husband returns, then the first husband has more right to her than the second, whether the second husband consummated the marriage or not. However, the second husband is entitled to the dowry for what he lawfully accessed of her." Abdul Karim added in his narration: "And the second husband can never marry her again."

I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a man whose family believed he had died or been killed, so his wife remarried, and his concubine also married and each bore a child from their respective husbands. Then the first husband and the master of the concubine returned. Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "The first husband has more right to take back his wife, and the master has the right to take back his concubine and her child, or he may accept compensation for their value."

"The two witnesses shall be subjected to the prescribed punishment and must compensate the husband for the dowry. The woman must then observe her waiting period (iddah) and return to her first husband."

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a woman who was informed that her husband had passed away, so she observed her waiting period (iddah) and remarried. Then her first husband returned, leading both her first and second husbands to separate from her. I asked how long she should observe the waiting period for people (before remarrying). Imam (as) said: "Three menstrual cycles (qur). Indeed, her womb is cleared after three menstrual cycles, which makes her lawful for all men."