Talaq al-ʿiddah (divorce during the waiting period) is that when a man intends to divorce his wife, he should divorce her during a state of purity (ṭuhr) in which he has not had intercourse with her, and in the presence of two just witnesses. Then, he may reconcile with her on the same day or afterward before she menstruates, and he should have witnesses for this reconciliation. When she menstruates and then becomes pure, he may divorce her a second time without intercourse and in the presence of witnesses. He can then reconcile with her whenever he wishes before she menstruates again, ensuring witnesses are present for the reconciliation. He may also engage in marital relations with her, and she remains with him until she experiences her second menstrual cycle. Once she becomes pure after her second menstruation, he may divorce her a third time while she is in a state of purity without intercourse, again in the presence of witnesses. If he does this, she is permanently separated from him and is not permissible for him until she marries another man. The least form of reconciliation is for him to kiss her or to deny the divorce, in which case his denial of the divorce counts as reconciliation. Reconciliation is permissible without witnesses, just as marriage is, but it is disliked without witnesses due to legal matters concerning ḥudud (Islamic penalties), inheritance, and authority. If a man divorces his wife for the waiting period three times - each once after the other as described - and then she marries another man, the previous husband cannot take her back until that marriage is properly dissolved. If a man divorces his wife three times for the waiting period (ʿiddah), one after another as described, and then the woman marries another man but he does not consummate the marriage with her and subsequently divorces her or dies before consummation, and she completes her waiting period (ʿiddah), it is not permissible for her first husband to remarry her. She can only return to her first husband if she marries another man in a permanent marriage, the second husband consummates the marriage with her, and then divorces her or dies. After completing her waiting period from the second husband, the first husband may then marry her again if he wishes. However, if she marries a man in a temporary marriage (mutʿah), even if he consummates the marriage and then separates from her or dies, it does not make it permissible for her first husband to remarry her. The remarriage to another man must be a permanent marriage that includes consummation. Only after she completes her waiting period following this marriage can her first husband marry her again. If she marries a slave, he is considered one of the husbands, and the same ruling applies. Furthermore, if a man divorces his wife three times for the waiting period, and she marries another man, then returns to her first husband and is divorced again, and this cycle repeats until she has been divorced nine times, she becomes permanently forbidden to him and can never return to him.