Chapter on the Divorce of a Missing Person

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 4|Chapter 22

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Volume 3, Book 4, Chapter 22

Chapter on the Divorce of a Missing Person

Hadith #1

4883 - رَوَى عُمَرُ بْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلْمَفْقُودِ كَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ اِمْرَأَتُهُ قَالَ "مَا سَكَتَتْ عَنْهُ وَ صَبَرَتْ يُخَلَّى عَنْهَا وَ إِنْ هِيَ رَفَعَتْ أَمْرَهَا إِلَى اَلْوَالِي أَجَّلَهَا أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ يَكْتُبُ إِلَى اَلصُّقْعِ اَلَّذِي فُقِدَ فِيهِ فَيُسْأَلُ عَنْهُ فَإِنْ خُبِّرَ عَنْهُ بِحَيَاةٍ صَبَرَتْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يُخْبَرْ عَنْهُ بِحَيَاةٍ حَتَّى تَمْضِيَ اَلْأَرْبَعُ سِنِينَ، دُعِيَ وَلِيُّ اَلزَّوْجِ اَلْمَفْقُودِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ هَلْ لِلْمَفْقُودِ مَالٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ أُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى تُعْلَمَ حَيَاتُهُ مِنْ مَوْتِهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ قِيلَ لِلْوَلِيِّ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيْهَا فَإِنْ فَعَلَ فَلاَ سَبِيلَ لَهَا إِلَى أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ مَا أَنْفَقَ عَلَيْهَا وَ إِنْ أَبَى أَنْ يُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهَا أَجْبَرَهُ اَلْوَالِي عَلَى أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ تَطْلِيقَةً فِي اِسْتِقْبَالِ اَلْعِدَّةِ وَ هِيَ طَاهِرٌ فَيَصِيرُ طَلاَقُ اَلْوَلِيِّ طَلاَقَ اَلزَّوْجِ فَإِنْ جَاءَ زَوْجُهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْقَضِيَ عِدَّتُهَا مِنْ يَوْمَ طَلَّقَهَا اَلْوَلِيُّ فَبَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا فَهِيَ اِمْرَأَتُهُ وَ هِيَ عِنْدَهُ عَلَى تَطْلِيقَتَيْنِ وَ إِنِ اِنْقَضَتِ اَلْعِدَّةُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجِيءَ وَ يُرَاجِعَ فَقَدْ حَلَّتْ لِلْأَزْوَاجِ وَ لاَ سَبِيلَ لِلْأَوَّلِ عَلَيْهَا".

Hadith.4883 - In a narration from Umar ibn Udhayna through Buraid ibn Mu'awiyah, it is reported that he asked Abu Abdullah about the ruling concerning the wife of a missing person. Imam replied: "As long as she remains silent about him and is patient, she should be left as she is. However, if she raises the matter to the authority, the ruler will wait for four years. Then, a letter will be sent to the region where he was lost, inquiring about him. If news of his life is received, she must remain patient. If no information about his life is found after four years, the guardian of the missing husband will be summoned and asked if the missing person has any wealth. If he has wealth, it should be spent on her until his life or death becomes known. If he has no wealth, the guardian will be instructed to provide for her. If he agrees, she cannot remarry as long as he supports her. However, if he refuses to provide for her, the ruler will compel him to issue a divorce while she is in a state of purity. This divorce by the guardian will be considered as a divorce by the husband. If the husband returns before her waiting period ends and wishes to reconcile, she remains his wife and is counted as having two remaining divorces. But if the waiting period ends before his return and reconciliation, she becomes permissible for other men, and the first husband has no claim over her."