Divorce in Islam

The general details of divorce are mentioned in the text we translated, The Beneficial Summary.

Validity of Divorce

• Divorce is not valid except from a morally responsible spouse.
• Only the sunnah divorce is permissible.

Types of Divorce

1. Sunnah Divorce
   • Consists of one pronouncement during a state of ritual purity, when there has been no intercourse.
   • Cannot take place during menstruation.
   • If the woman is not menstruating, only the pronouncement is required.
2. Innovated Divorce (Bidʿī)
   • Any divorce that differs from the sunnah divorce.
   • The one who does it incurs sin, but the divorce remains valid.

Categories of Divorce

Divorce can be divided into two categories:

1. Revocable Divorce (Rajaʿī)
   • Takes place after intercourse,
   • Is not the third divorce,
   • No compensatory money (ʿiwaḍ) is owed.
   Judgments of revocable divorce:
   • Husband may revoke the divorce during the woman’s waiting period (ʿiddah).
   • Inheritance between them remains valid.
   • Wife may leave the house with his permission.
   • Wife may adorn herself.
   • Husband is obligated to provide lodging.
   • Prohibited for the husband to marry her sister or a fifth wife until her waiting period expires.
2. Irrevocable Divorce (Bāʾin)
   • Lacks one or more of the conditions of a revocable divorce.
   • Its rulings are the opposite of revocable divorce.
   • It takes effect immediately, with conditions depending on the case.

Hopefully, this answers your question.

And Allah knows best!