Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

رَوَى عَبْدُ اَلْكَرِيمِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ طَلاَقِ اَلْمَعْتُوهِ اَلزَّائِلِ اَلْعَقْلِ أَ يَجُوزُ فَقَالَ "لاَ" وَ عَنِ اَلْمَرْأَةِ إِذَا كَانَتْ كَذَلِكَ يَجُوزُ بَيْعُهَا وَ صَدَقَتُهَا فَقَالَ "لاَ".

Abd al-Karim ibn ʿAmr narrated from al-Ḥalabi from Abu Abdullah (a.s) who said: I asked Imam (a.s) about the divorce of a mentally impaired person whose intellect is diminished, whether it is permissible? Imam (a.s) replied: "No." I (narrator) also asked about a woman in the same condition, whether it is permissible to sell her property or manage her dowry? He replied: "No."

وَ رَوَى حَمَّادُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ اَلْمَعْتُوهِ يَجُوزُ طَلاَقُهُ فَقَالَ "مَا هُوَ" فَقُلْتُ اَلْأَحْمَقُ اَلذَّاهِبُ اَلْعَقْلِ فَقَالَ "نَعَمْ".

Ḥammad ibn ʿIsa narrated from Shuʿayb, from Abu Baṣir, from Abu Abdullah (a.s), that Imam (a.s) who was asked about the validity of a divorce issued by a mentally impaired person (ma'tooh). Imam (a.s) responded: "What do you mean by that?" I said: "The foolish one who lacks sound reasoning." Imam (a.s) replied: "Yes, it is valid."

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ يَعْنِي إِذَا طَلَّقَ عَنْهُ وَلِيُّهُ فَأَمَّا أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ هُوَ فَلَا وَ تَصْدِيقُ ذَلِكَ.

The author of this book (may Allah (swt) have mercy on him) clarified: This means that if the divorce is carried out by his guardian on his behalf, it is valid. However, if he himself pronounces the divorce, it is not valid. This is supported by corroborating evidence.

مَا رَوَاهُ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ اَلْقَمَّاطِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ، لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ يَعْرِفُ رَأْيَهُ مَرَّةً وَ يُنْكِرُهُ أُخْرَى يَجُوزُ طَلاَقُ وَلِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ "مَا لَهُ هُوَ لاَ يُطَلِّقُ" قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ يَعْرِفُ حَدَّ اَلطَّلاَقِ وَ لاَ يُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ طَلَّقَ اَلْيَوْمَ أَنْ يَقُولَ غَداً لَمْ أُطَلِّقْ فَقَالَ "مَا أَرَاهُ إِلاَّ بِمَنْزِلَةِ اَلْإِمَامِ يَعْنِي اَلْوَلِيَّ".

Ṣafwan ibn Yaḥya narrated from Abu Khalid al-Qammaṭ, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): "A man who sometimes understands his own position and at other times denies it, can his guardian (wali) issue a divorce on his behalf?" Imam (a.s) said: "What is wrong with him? Can he not divorce himself?" I said: "He does not understand the rules of divorce, and if he divorces today, he might say tomorrow that he did not divorce." Imam (a.s) said: "I see him (wali) as being in the position of an Imam - that is, the guardian (wali) has authority over him."