ابن رباط

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the divorced woman; where she completes her waiting period. He (the Imam) said, ‘She completes it in the house of her husband.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Wudu’ for Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is (washing the face) once and (hands) once.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the divorce of a drunken man. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not permissible as well as his setting free of slaves.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that as long as one keeps looking at al-Ka’bah, one good deed is written for him and one bad deed is deleted until he turns away from looking at al-Ka’bah.”

“’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ’If a Dhimmiy (taxpayer) becomes a Muslim when his father is living who has children besides him, then the father dies, the Muslim inherits all of his legacy and his other children and wife do not inherit anything with a Muslim.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once read for me (from the book) on the issue of ordained shares of inheritance the following: ‘A woman dies and leaves behind her husband,’ he (the Imam) said, ‘The entire legacy belongs to him. If a man dies and leaves behind his wife, he (the Imam) said that one- fourth belongs to her and the rest belongs to the Imam.’”

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about the case of a woman whose husband dies. He (the Imam) said, ‘She must not use kohl for beautification, perfume or colorful dresses. She must not go out of her house during the day or spend the night somewhere other than her house.’ I then asked, ‘Can she go out to bear witness for a right? He (the Imam) said, ‘She can do so after midnight and return in al-‘Isha ’ (darkness).”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who divorces his wife once when he is ill and he had divorced her twice before. He (the Imam) said, ‘She inherits his legacy if it was during his illness.’ I then asked, ‘What is the limit of illness?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The illness which continues until he dies even if it prolongs for one year.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who gives his wife the choice; if she becomes stranger for him. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, this was something especially for the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause . He (the Messenger of Allah) was commanded to do so and if they were to choose themselves he would divorce them. This is in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Say to your wives, “If you want the worldly life and its beauty, then be prepared, so he (the Messenger of Allah) benefits you and allows you to be free with fairness.” (33:28)’”

I asked him about a man who derogates to his wife the option to choose – so she chooses herself, will this mean that the divorce is final? he said: No, this (i.e. Takhyir) is a thing which was only for the messenger of Allah specifically, he was ordered to do that so he did it, and if they had chosen themselves then he would have divorced them – and it is the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic “Say to your wives: if you prefer the life of this world and its adornment then come forth so that I provide you a provision and set you free in a goodly manner” (33:28). al-Hasan b. Sama’a said: by this Hadith do we take [rule] in the matter of Khiyar [giving an ultimatum to the wife to decide her future].

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Shabbah ibn ‘ Aqqal once said to me, ‘You think that if one says, “What Allah has made lawful is unlawful for me” (as you believe) does not have any valid effect.’ I said, ‘About your word ‘lawful is unlawful for me’ you can consider what ’Amir al- Mu’minin, al-Walid decided about the issue of Salamah and his wife when he sent for a fatwa from people of Iraq and people of al-Sham who had differences over the issue. He then decided according to the words of the people of al-Hijjaz who say that it does not have any valid effect.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I once heard your father saying, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, offered his wives the choice and they chose Allah and His Messenger. He did not keep them for divorce. Had they chosen themselves they would become strangers.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is a Hadith that my father would narrate from ‘A’ishah. What people have to do with choice! It was something with which Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, specially treated His Messenger.’”

“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.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), about the case of a man who has several sons, of whom one disappeared and he did not know where he was. The man died. What must be done with his share of legacy from his father? He (the Imam) said, ‘It must be kept aside until he comes? I then asked if there is Zakat on his assets. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, there is no Zakat until he comes? I then asked if he must pay Zakat when he comes. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, until one year passes with the asset in his possession? I then said, ‘The man is lost and he has not come back? He (the Imam) said, ‘If the heirs of the man can be trusted about his assets, they can distribute it among themselves and when he comes give it to him?”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman who is for al-Hajj al- Tamattu‘ (advantageous), enters Makkah and experiences Hayd (menses), what she must do? He (the Imam) said, ‘She performs Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah then remains at home. If she becomes clean, she performs Tawaf around the House; but if she does not become clean she, on the day of al-Tarwiyah (eight of Dhu al-Hajjah) must pour water on herself, say Talbiyah for al-Hajj, go to Mina’ and perform all acts. All things that were unlawful for her in the state of Ihram become lawful to her, after she completes this, except the bed of her husband.’ ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Salih and I had heard this Hadith in the Masjid. ‘Ubayd Allah went to see abu al-Hassan (a.s.), then came back to me and said, ‘I asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the Hadith of ‘Ajlan and he (the Imam) narrated to me just as we had heard from ‘Ajlan.’”