Chapter on the Divorce of a Mute Person

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 4|Chapter 9

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Volume 3, Book 4, Chapter 9

Chapter on the Divorce of a Mute Person
1 hadith · 1 commentary
Hadith 1

سَأَلَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ اَلْبَزَنْطِيُّ، أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ رَجُلٍ تَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ اَلْمَرْأَةُ يَصْمُتُ وَ لاَ يَتَكَلَّمُ قَالَ "أَخْرَسُ هُوَ" قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَنَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ بُغْضاً لاِمْرَأَتِهِ وَ كَرَاهَةً لَهَا أَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ عَنْهُ وَلِيُّهُ قَالَ "لاَ وَ لَكِنْ يَكْتُبُ وَ يُشْهِدُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ" قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اَللَّهُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَكْتُبُ وَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ كَيْفَ يُطَلِّقُهَا قَالَ "بِالَّذِي يُعْرَفُ بِهِ مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِ مِثْلَ مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ كَرَاهَتِهِ وَ بُغْضِهِ لَهَا".

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr Al-Bazanti asked Abu Al-Hasan Al-Ridha (a.s) about a man who has a wife but remains silent and does not speak. Imam (a.s) asked: "Is he mute?" He replied: "Yes, and we know from his behavior that he dislikes and detests his wife. Is it permissible for his guardian to divorce her on his behalf?" Imam (a.s) said: "No, but he should write it down and have witnesses for it." He said: "May Allah (swt) correct you, but he neither writes nor hears. How can he divorce her?" Imam (a.s) replied: "Through actions that clearly indicate his intention, such as what you mentioned of his dislike and hatred for her."

Commentary 1

وَ قَالَ أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي رِسَالَتِهِ إِلَيَّ الْأَخْرَسُ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ أَلْقَى عَلَى رَأْسِهَا قِنَاعَهَا يُرِي أَنَّهَا قَدْ حَرُمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِذَا أَرَادَ مُرَاجَعَتَهَا كَشَفَ الْقِنَاعَ عَنْهَا يُرِي أَنَّهُ قَدْ حَلَّتْ لَهُ.

My father (may Allah (swt) be pleased with him) said in his letter to me: "If a mute man wants to divorce his wife, he places her veil on her head to show that she has become unlawful for him. If he wants to take her back, he removes the veil from her to show that she has become lawful for him."