Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

قَالَ أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي رِسَالَتِهِ إِلَيَّ اعْلَمْ يَا بُنَيَّ أَنَّ أَصْلَ التَّخْيِيرِ هُوَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَنِفَ لِنَبِيِّهِ ص فِي مَقَالَةٍ قَالَتْهَا بَعْضُ نِسَائِهِ أَ يَرَى مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَّهُ لَوْ طَلَّقَنَا لَا نَجِدُ أَكْفَاءَنَا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ يَتَزَّوَجُونَّا فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ ص أَنْ يَعْتَزِلَ نِسَاءَهُ تِسْعاً وَ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً فَاعْتَزَلَهُنَّ النَّبِيُّ ص فِي مَشْرَبَةِ أُمِّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثُمَّ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ- ۝ يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْواجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَياةَ الدُّنْيا وَ زِينَتَها فَتَعالَيْنَ أُمَتِّعْكُنَّ وَ أُسَرِّحْكُنَّ سَراحاً جَمِيلًا وَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِناتِ مِنْكُنَّ أَجْراً عَظِيماً ۝ فَاخْتَرْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ فَلَمْ يَقَعِ الطَّلَاقُ وَ لَوِ اخْتَرْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ لَبِنَ‌.

My father (may Allah (swt) be pleased with him) said in his letter to me: "Know, my son, that the origin of the matter of giving the choice (to divorce) is that Allah (swt), the Blessed and Exalted, was displeased with a statement made by some of the Prophet's (peace be upon him and his family) wives. They said: 'Does Muhammad (sw) think that if he divorces us, we will not find suitable husbands from Quraysh to marry us?' So, Allah (swt) commanded His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to separate himself from his wives for twenty-nine nights. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) secluded himself in the chamber of Umm Ibrahim. Then this verse was revealed: 'O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and release you in a gracious manner. But if you desire Allah (swt), His Messenger, and the Hereafter, then indeed Allah (swt) has prepared for the good-doers among you a great reward' (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:28-29). They chose Allah (swt) and His Messenger (sw), so divorce did not occur. But if they had chosen themselves, they would have been separated."

4810 - وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي اَلصَّبَّاحِ اَلْكِنَانِيِّ : "أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ قَالَتْ لِرَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ لاَ تَعْدِلُ وَ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ وَ قَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ إِنْ طَلَّقَنَا وَجَدْنَا فِي قَوْمِنَا أَكْفَاءَنَا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَاحْتَبَسَ اَلْوَحْيُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ تِسْعَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ يَوْماً فَأَنِفَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِرَسُولِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اَللَّهُ: ۝ يٰا أَيُّهَا اَلنَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوٰاجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اَلْحَيٰاةَ اَلدُّنْيٰا وَ زِينَتَهٰا ۝ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ "أَجْراً عَظِيماً" فَاخْتَرْنَ اَللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ فَلَمْ يَقَعِ اَلطَّلاَقُ وَ لَوِ اِخْتَرْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ لَبِنَّ".

Hadith.4810 - In the narration of Abu al-Sabbah al-Kinani: "Zaynab said to the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family): 'You (sw) are not just, and You (sw) are the Messenger of Allah (swt)!' And Hafsa said: 'If He (sw) divorces us, we will find suitable husbands among our people from Quraysh.' Then, the divine revelation was withheld from the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) for twenty-nine days. Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, was displeased for His (swt) beloved Messenger (sw), so Allah (swt) revealed: 'O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and release you in a gracious manner. But if you desire Allah (swt), His Messenger, and the Hereafter, then indeed Allah (swt) has prepared for the good-doers among you a great reward' (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:28-29). They chose Allah (swt) and His Messenger (sw), so divorce did not occur. But if they had chosen themselves, they would have been separated."

4811 - وَ رَوَى اِبْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "إِذَا خَيَّرَهَا أَوْ جَعَلَ أَمْرَهَا بِيَدِهَا فِي غَيْرِ قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُشْهِدَ شَاهِدَيْنِ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ وَ إِنْ خَيَّرَهَا أَوْ جَعَلَ أَمْرَهَا بِيَدِهَا بِشَهَادَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ فِي قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهَا فَهِيَ بِالْخِيَارِ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا فَإِنِ اِخْتَارَتْ نَفْسَهَا فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِرَجْعَتِهَا وَ إِنِ اِخْتَارَتْ زَوْجَهَا فَلَيْسَ بِطَلاَقٍ ".

Hadith.4811 - Ibn Udhayna narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), who said: "If a man gives his wife the choice (to stay with him or separate) or places the matter of divorce in her hands outside of her waiting period ('iddah) and without the testimony of two witnesses, then it is of no consequence. However, if he gives her the choice or places the matter in her hands with the testimony of two witnesses during her waiting period, then she has the option as long as they have not separated. If she chooses herself (i.e., separation), then it is counted as one divorce, and he has the right to take her back. But if she chooses her husband (to remain married), then it is not considered a divorce."

4812 - وَ رَوَى اِبْنُ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "اَلطَّلاَقُ أَنْ يَقُولَ اَلرَّجُلُ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ اِخْتَارِي فَإِنِ اِخْتَارَتْ نَفْسَهَا فَقَدْ بَانَتْ مِنْهُ وَ هُوَ خَاطِبٌ مِنَ اَلْخُطَّابِ وَ إِنِ اِخْتَارَتْ زَوْجَهَا فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ أَوْ يَقُولَ أَنْتِ طَالِقٌ فَأَيَّ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَ فَقَدْ حَرُمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَ لاَ يَكُونُ طَلاَقٌ وَ لاَ خُلْعٌ وَ لاَ مُبَارَاةٌ وَ لاَ تَخْيِيرٌ إِلاَّ عَلَى طُهْرٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ جِمَاعٍ بِشَهَادَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ ".

Hadith.4812 - Ibn Muskan narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Ziyad, from Abu Abdullah (as), who said: "Divorce occurs when a man says to his wife, 'Choose (for yourself),' And if she chooses herself, then she is separated from him, and he becomes one of the suitors (khuṭṭāb). But if she chooses her husband, then it is of no consequence. Or (divorce occurs) if he says, 'You are divorced,' then whichever of these he does, she becomes prohibited for him. However, divorce (ṭalāq), annulment (khul'), mutual separation (mubāra'ah), or giving the wife a choice (takhyīr) is not valid except while she is in a state of purity (ṭuhr), without prior intercourse, and in the presence of two witnesses."

4813 - وَ رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ : فِي رَجُلٍ يُخَيِّرُ اِمْرَأَتَهُ أَوْ أَبَاهَا أَوْ أَخَاهَا أَوْ وَلِيَّهَا فَقَالَ "كُلُّهُمْ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ إِذَا رَضِيَتْ".

Hadith.4813 - Al-Halabi narrated from Abu Abdullah (as) regarding a man who gives his wife the choice (to separate or stay) or delegates the decision to her father, brother, or guardian. Imam (as) said: "They are all in the same position, as long as she consents."

4814 - وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ اَلْخِيَارَ إِلَيْكِ فَاخْتَارَتْ نَفْسَهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ قَالَ "يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ" قُلْتُ فَلَهَا مُتْعَةٌ قَالَ "نَعَمْ" قُلْتُ فَلَهَا مِيرَاثٌ إِنْ مَاتَ اَلزَّوْجُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْقَضِيَ عِدَّتُهَا قَالَ "نَعَمْ وَ إِنْ مَاتَتْ هِيَ وَرِثَهَا اَلزَّوْجُ".

Hadith.4814 - Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jamil ibn Salih, from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who said to his wife, "I have given you the choice," and she chose herself before standing up. Imam (as) said: "That is valid against him." I asked: "Is she entitled to maintenance (compensation)?" Imam (as) said: "Yes." I asked: "Does she inherit if the husband dies before her waiting period ends?" Imam (as) said: "Yes, and if she dies, the husband inherits from her."

4815 - وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ قَالَ: "مَا لِلنِّسَاءِ وَ اَلتَّخْيِيرَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ خَصَّ اَللَّهُ بِهِ نَبِيَّهُ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ ".

Hadith.4815 - Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Abu Abdullah (as) that he said: "What do women have to do with takhyīr (being given the choice in divorce)? That is something which Allah specifically granted to His Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family)."