Explanation of the hadith: "Indeed, Allah has pardoned my ummah for what they think in their hearts, as long as they do not speak of it or act upon it," and clarification that obsessive thoughts regarding divorce do not take effect, even if one utters them
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The Shaykh : And listen to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Bulugh al-Maram 8:133 Here I ask: A man stood up and was thinking to himself about divorcing his wife, and he was with himself, treating the thought in his mind about divorcing his wife. So, does the divorce take effect or not? I say, O my brother.
The student: She is not divorced.
The Shaykh : He is thinking to himself about divorcing his wife, here.
The student: He did not speak.
The Shaykh : He did not speak and he did not act, meaning he did not write the divorce with his hand nor did he utter it. Did you understand? Good. I ask you another question. When he saw the anxiety in himself from this obsessive compulsion, that he had divorced his wife, he said: "Then I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not?
The student: If he says that, the divorce takes effect.
The Shaykh : No, he said he wants to be at ease from this anxiety and obsessive compulsion. Yes, he said, "I will get rid of this and I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not?
The student: The divorce takes effect.
The Shaykh : Good, be at ease. Is this an answer from you? Is there another answer? No, you have a wife, O young man. Good, who is it? Please. Does the divorce take effect? Do you agree with your companion? Be at ease. Yes, the divorce does not take effect. Why? He did not utter it with his tongue. When he saw himself in great anxiety and tightness of chest, he said, "Then I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not? The divorce does not take effect. And the evidence? The divorce takes effect? Go back, be at ease. No, the divorce does not take effect. The divorce does not take effect. What is the evidence? The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Sunan ad-Daraqutni 16:86 This man is now as if he is forced to divorce. Pay attention, O my brother, to the psychological state. A man is anxious and tired from these obsessive thoughts, so he said, "She is divorced." If we asked him, "Did you divorce by choice?" he would say: "Answer, O brothers."
The student: No.
The Shaykh : He would say, "No, I divorced out of the tightness that occurred in my heart, as if I was forced to do this." We said, "Praise be to Allah. Be happy, be happy with good news. The religion is one of ease, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Sunan ad-Daraqutni 16:86 For this reason, the scholars said: "The divorce of one suffering from obsessive compulsion does not take effect" This is a rule from the words of the scholars. What is its basis? The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): Sunan ad-Daraqutni 16:86 In closing, meaning it is closed upon the person, he is constrained.
Allah, the Most High, has forgiven my followers what they contemplate on within themselves (i.e. evil thoughts) as long as they do not act upon or speak about them.
إن الله تجاوز عن أمتي ما حدثت به أنفسها ما لم تعمل أو تتكلمThe student: She is not divorced.
The Shaykh : He is thinking to himself about divorcing his wife, here.
The student: He did not speak.
The Shaykh : He did not speak and he did not act, meaning he did not write the divorce with his hand nor did he utter it. Did you understand? Good. I ask you another question. When he saw the anxiety in himself from this obsessive compulsion, that he had divorced his wife, he said: "Then I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not?
The student: If he says that, the divorce takes effect.
The Shaykh : No, he said he wants to be at ease from this anxiety and obsessive compulsion. Yes, he said, "I will get rid of this and I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not?
The student: The divorce takes effect.
The Shaykh : Good, be at ease. Is this an answer from you? Is there another answer? No, you have a wife, O young man. Good, who is it? Please. Does the divorce take effect? Do you agree with your companion? Be at ease. Yes, the divorce does not take effect. Why? He did not utter it with his tongue. When he saw himself in great anxiety and tightness of chest, he said, "Then I will be at ease. She is divorced." Does the divorce take effect or not? The divorce does not take effect. And the evidence? The divorce takes effect? Go back, be at ease. No, the divorce does not take effect. The divorce does not take effect. What is the evidence? The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
There is no divorce in a state of being overwhelmed.
لا طلاق في إغلاقThe student: No.
The Shaykh : He would say, "No, I divorced out of the tightness that occurred in my heart, as if I was forced to do this." We said, "Praise be to Allah. Be happy, be happy with good news. The religion is one of ease, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: