Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Writing Talaaq and later deleting the message

· 27 Muharram 1445 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

If a person types “Talaaq” on WhatsApp to his wife, but he deletes it without sending it, will this be regarded as a Talaaq?

Answer

If he wrote the word ‘Talaaq’ on his wife’s Whatsapp with the intention of divorcing her, then the moment he writes the word ‘Talaaq’, his wife will be divorced, even though he later deletes it.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

Re:- Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah Pg.259 Vol.18

وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَرْسُومَةً يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ ثُمَّ الْمَرْسُومَةُ لَا تَخْلُو أَمَّا إنْ أَرْسَلَ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَكَمَا كَتَبَ هَذَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَتَلْزَمُهَا الْعِدَّةُ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْكِتَابَةِ. (الفتاوي الهندية ص378 ج1)

وَإِنْ عَلَّقَ طَلَاقَهَا بِمَجِيءِ الْكِتَابِ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ إذَا جَاءَك كِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ إلَيْهَا الْكِتَابُ لَا يَقَعُ كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ. (الفتاوي الهندية ص378 ج1)

Answered by
Mufti Mohammed Desai
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/writing-talaaq-and-later-deleting-the-message/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-26218

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Is talaaq by text, WhatsApp or email valid?

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