Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Yes, if you give (pronounce) Talaq (divorce) to your wife as a joke, it is valid and has occurred. Further, if you do this three times then that is a threefold Talaq (divorce) and you cannot reconcile. Divorce (Talaq) is not something to be played with. It has serious consequences. Additionally, it is a religious obligation for Muslims to study the laws of marriage and divorce prior to getting married. It is not acceptable for a Muslim to be ignorant of the law of Allah, Most High.
Hadith
There are several hadith which state that giving divorce to your wife as a joke is a valid divorce. The hadith mentioned here are from Abu Dawood, Musanaf Abd al-Razzaq, and Tabarani.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جَدٌّ، وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدٌّ: النِّكَاحُ، وَالطَّلَاقُ، وَالرَّجْعَةُ
Abu Hurairah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘There are three matters in which seriousness is serious and joking is serious: marriage, divorce and taking back one’s wife (Raj’ah).’ (Abu Dawood, 2194).
As well as the above, there are other Hadith narrations that support the concept of a divorce (Talaq) in jest (as a joke) being valid:
عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ طَلَّقَ، وَهُوَ لَاعِبٌ فَطَلَاقُهُ جَائِزٌ، وَمَنْ أَعْتَقَ وَهُوَ لَاعِبٌ فَعَتَاقُهُ جَائِزٌ، وَمَنْ أَنْكَحَ وَهُوَ لَاعِبٌ فَنِكَاحُهُ جَائِزٌ.
Abu Dharr (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Whoever divorces playfully, his divorce is valid. Whoever emancipates playfully, his emancipating is valid. Whoever marries playfully, his marriage is valid.’ (Musanaf Abd al-Razzaq, 10249).
Imam al-Tabarani also narrated a supporting Hadith:
عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : ثَلاَثٌ لاَ يَجُوزُ اللَّعِبُ فِيهِنَّ ، الطَّلاَقُ ، وَالنِّكَاحُ ، وَالْعِتْقُ.
Fadalah bin Ubayd al-Ansari (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Playfulness is not permitted in three matters, divorce (Talaq), marriage (Nikah) and emancipation. (Tabarani al-Mojam al-Kabeer, 780).
Classical scholars
The Hadith in Abu Dawood was also narrated by Ibn Majah (2039), al-Tirmidhi (1184) and others. Imam al-Tirmidhi made the following comments after narrating it:
هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ. وَالعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ العِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ
It is a Hasan Ghareeb Hadith. The people of knowledge from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others acted upon it.
Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani also concluded that the Hadith (in Abu Dawood) is Hasan. Further, after a long discussion in al-Talkhees al-Habeer he mentioned numerous narrations and then concluded the following:
فَهُوَ عَلَى هَذَا حَسَنٌ. (التلخيص الحبير)
Due to this it is a Hasan narration. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, al-Talkhees al-Habeer).
The narration in Musanaf Abd al-Razzaq is weak. However, this hadith supports the concept mentioned in the first Hadith mentioned. That is, that giving Talaq (divorce) as a joke, is a valid and binding divorce.
وَفِي إسْنَادِهِ انْقِطَاعٌ. (نيل الأوطار)
The chain is disconnected (weak). (Imam al-Showkani, Nayl al-Owtaar).
Ibn Lahi’ah is differed over the hadith in Tabarani. Although Imam al-Haythami considered him to be a Hasan narrator, other Imams of Hadith did consider him weak. As well as the Prophetic Hadith narrations, there are narrations from Sahabah (Mowqoof) mentioning the same concept. Specifically, giving Talaq (divorce) as a joke being valid.
رَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ، وَفِيهِ ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، وَحَدِيثُهُ حَسَنٌ، وَبَقِيَّةُ رِجَالِهِ رِجَالُ الصَّحِيحِ. (مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد)
(Imam) al-Tabarani narrated it. It has Ibn Lahi’ah (in the chain) and his narrations are considered Hasan. The remainder of the narrators are narrators of Sahih (Hadith). (Imam noorud-Deen al-Haythami, Majma al-Zawaid).
The ruling
It is due to the abundance of evidence that Hanafi scholars warned against divorcing in jest (as a joke) that they clarified that the divorce is valid.
ثلاث خصال هزلهن جد وجدهن جد: الطلاق والعتاق والنكاح”، فهذه الأشياء الثلاثة لا تبطل في هزل ولا جد ولا إكراه. (كتاب الأَصْلُ)
There are three issues regarding which joking is serious and being serious is serious, divorce, emancipation and marriage. Therefore, these three are not nullified by joking, seriousness or coercion. (Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani, Kitab al-Asl).
مُحَمَّد قَالَ قَالَ ابو حنيفَة رضى الله عَنهُ فِي نِكَاح اللّعب والهزل انه جَائِز كَمَا يجوز نِكَاح الْجد. (الحجة على أهل المدينة)
(Imam) Muhammad said: (Imam) Abu Hanifah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said regarding the marriage of the one being playful and joking, that it is valid. Just as the marriage of the one being serious is valid. (Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani, al-Hujjah ala Ahl al-Madinah).
مَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِطَلَاقٍ أَوْ عَتَاقٍ أَوْ نِكَاحٍ فَهُوَ جَائِزٌ عَلَيْهِ أَيْ نَافِذٌ لَازِمٌ، وَفِيهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّ الْهَزْلَ بِهَذِهِ التَّصَرُّفَاتِ جَدٌّ. (المبسوط)
Whoever speaks about divorce, emancipation or marriage, then it is valid. Meaning it has occurred and is binding. (Imam Shams al-Deen al-Sarakhsi, al-Mabsoot).
وَكَذَا كَوْنُهُ جَادًّا لَيْسَ بِشَرْطٍ فَيَقَعُ طَلَاقُ الْهَازِلِ بِالطَّلَاقِ وَاللَّاعِبِ. (بدائع الصنائع)
Likewise, his being serious is not a condition. Therefore, the divorce of a person who is joking occurs, as does (the divorce of) the one being playful. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Kaasaani, Bada’i al-Sanai).
(وَكَذَلِكَ اللَّاعِبُ بِالطَّلَاقِ وَالْهَازِلُ بِهِ) لِقَوْلِهِ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ -: ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جِدٌّ وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدٌّ. (الاختيار لتعليل المختار)
And likewise, the divorce of someone being playful or joking about it. This is due to his ﷺ saying, ‘There are three matters in which seriousness is serious and joking is serious.’ (Imam Abu al-Fadl al-Mowsili, al-Ikhtiyaar).
Conclusion
Muslims must study the rulings related to marriage and divorce prior to marriage. This is not only a religious obligation, but it is also essential to safeguard them from destructive mistakes. If one has not studied the Fiqh of marriage and divorce, then they must do so immediately even if they are now married.
Unfortunately, there are Muslims who divorce (Talaq) their wife in jest (as a joke), not even realising the repercussions. This state of ignorance is unacceptable, and certainly not an excuse. The Muslim is supposed to learn his religion and live by it.
It is not acceptable to say ‘I am a Muslim’ and make no effort to learn what that means. Many Muslims repeatedly say ‘Islam is a way of Life.’ However, they make no effort to learn what that actually means. This is a contradiction that every Muslim must avoid. Rather, we must follow the advice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and study our Deen (religion).
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (27.04.23)
