If a husband takes back his wife during the waiting period without witnessing it, but only intended it in his heart, does anything follow from that?

The questioner : May Allah reward you. If a man takes back his wife during the waiting period without witnessing it, but only intended it in his heart, does anything follow from that?

The Shaykh : If a man takes back his wife during the waiting period, and she is one of those who are subject to being taken back, then she returns to him if the divorce was not final. If the divorce was final, she does not return to him except through a new contract, unless the divorce was the third of three divorces, in which case she is not lawful to him until she marries another husband.

The questioner : Taking back a wife without witnessing it?

The Shaykh : Yes, taking back a wife without witnessing it is valid, but witnessing it is better. Yes.

The questioner : Regarding the one who had intercourse with his wife in Ramadan, he says to me: If a man commits sodomy in Ramadan and then repents, does he owe an expiation?

The Shaykh : The same thing.

The questioner : Does he owe an expiation?

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Did he commit sodomy?

The Shaykh : Yes, yes.

The questioner : Does he owe an expiation?

The Shaykh : Yes.