The Ruling on the Divorce of the Obsessive

Question : The divorce of the obsessive.

Answer : It does not take effect, because it is only with the tongue. The obsessive—may Allah grant us and you well-being—constantly whispers to himself that he has divorced his wife. You find him talking to himself while he is on his bed, or with his wife, saying, "So-and-so is long," yes, and sometimes even in prayer he says this. He is unable to restrain himself. We say that if this man were to divorce with his tongue a thousand times, it would be of no account. For this reason, many people frequently seek our ruling on this matter, and we say that there is no divorce upon him. If he says, "If I spoke thus, if I spoke thus, there is no divorce upon you," because he did not shorten the waiting period. Sometimes he says, "By Allah, I am just venting my frustration, I am just venting my frustration." His wife asks, "We say: Is this a sealed divorce or a divorce in a sealed state?"