FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #596: MENYEBUT LAFAZ TALAK TANPA NIAT
Does divorce take effect if a husband says the word divorce while recounting someone else's story, without intending to divorce his wife?
Short answer
A clear (sarih) talaq pronouncement ordinarily takes effect even without intention, whereas an allusive (kinayah) one takes effect only with intention.
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
A clear (sarih) talaq pronouncement ordinarily takes effect even without intention, whereas an allusive (kinayah) one takes effect only with intention. The fatwa lists six situations where a clear pronouncement does not count, including a slip of the tongue. Citing al-Zuhaili, it states that mentioning talaq while narrating another person's story is void for lack of intention. In the questioner's case, no divorce occurred and reconciliation was not needed.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Pada asalnya, lafaz talak yang jelas itu menjatuhkan talak, sekalipun tanpa niat.
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 #596: MENYEBUT LAFAZ TALAK TANPA NIAT”, 27 March 2017. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/906-al-kafi-596-menyebut-lafaz-talak-tanpa-niat. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/talaq-wording-without-intention-storytelling/