Prolonged Separation and Divorce

Question:

I have separated from my ex-spouse since August 2021, almost 10 months ago. He has said “you are divorced” once to me and since then we both sold our marital home and have been living separately. He also gave me half my mahar/dowery.

He has refused to officially divorce me religiously. I tried reaching imams here in my city however it’s been next to impossible to get any answers. Can you please let me know in this case am I divorced? Am I not? I am really confused and not sure where I stand in this. Thank you!

Answer:

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The statement “you are divorced” constitutes as a revocable explicit Talaq (divorce). [1]

If there haven’t been any previous instances of Talaq (divorce) and you both wish to reconcile with each other, a new Nikah/Marriage must be conducted. As it stands right now, from the information you have provided, you are religiously divorced.

It’s also important to note that if you and your husband previously have had marital relations, then he is obligated to pay the entire dowry (mahr) that was agreed upon at the time of marriage. [2]

And Allāh Taʿālā Knows Best

Mufti Abdul Haseeb Muhammad
Chatham, Canada

Checked and Approved by:

Muftī Faisal bin Abdul Hamīd al-Mahmūdī
Darul Iftaa Canada (www.fatwa.ca)

[1] الدر المختار شرح تنوير الأبصار وجامع البحار – باب الصريح – ص207 – المكتبة الشاملة
باب الصريح (صريحه ما لم يستعمل إلا فيه) ولو بالفارسة (كطلقتك وأنت طالق ومطلقة) بالتشديد قيد بخطابها لانه لو قال: إن خرجت يقع الطلاق أو لا تخرجي إلا بإذني فإني حلفت بالطلاق فخرجت لم يقع لتركه الاضافة إليها (ويقع بها) أي بهذه الالفاظ

[2] الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (1/ 199)، دار احياء التراث العربي
ولا مهر أقل من عشرة …ولو سمي أقل من عشرة فلها العشرة …ومن سمى مهرا عشرة فما زاد فعليه المسمى إن دخل بها أو مات عنها ” لأنه بالدخول يتحقق تسليم المبدل وبه يتأكد البدل وبالموت ينتهي النكاح نهايته والشيء بانتهائه يتقرر ويتأكد فيتقرر بجميع مواجبه