FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #1957: HUKUM SUAMI YANG TIADA MASALAH PERTUTURAN MENGGUNAKAN ISYARAT (OKU) UNTUK MENCERAIKAN ISTERI
Does divorce take effect if a husband who is able to speak divorces his wife using sign language without uttering it?
Short answer
Divorce does not take effect when a husband who can speak divorces his wife by gesture alone, because the act is regarded as futile.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Divorce does not take effect when a husband who can speak divorces his wife by gesture alone, because the act is regarded as futile. This is the stronger view in the Shafi'i school, and it applies even if the husband intended divorce. The weaker view that treats it as an implicit (kinayah) divorce is not adopted. If doubt remains about the status of the pronouncement, referring to the Syariah Court is suggested.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Suami yang tiada masalah pertuturan (tidak bisu) lalu dia menggunakan bahasa isyarat OKU ketika hendak menceraikan isterinya, maka tindakannya tidak menyebabkan jatuh talak kepada isteri kerana perbuatan ini dianggap sia-sia dan hukumnya adalah tidak terpakai.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1957: HUKUM SUAMI YANG TIADA MASALAH PERTUTURAN MENGGUNAKAN ISYARAT (OKU) UNTUK MENCERAIKAN ISTERI”, 29 September 2023. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/5749-al-kafi-1957-hukum-suami-yang-tiada-masalah-pertuturan-menggunakan-isyarat-oku-untuk-menceraikan-isteri. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/divorce-by-sign-language-husband-able-to-speak/