Issuing A Talaaq While Intoxicated

QUESTION:

My husband used to abuse alcohol and drugs to the point of having no memory of what he did. I resorted to asking for Talaaq and approached him with a Molana to resolve the matter. He claimed to be sober at the time and agreed to issue one Talaaq-e-Bain on my request. During the Iddah period, we were intimate with each other. We are now uncertain of the status of the Nikaah. Due to my husband’s failure to remember exactly what transpired when he issued the Talaaq, some Ulama say that he was intoxicated at the time and therefore, the Talaaq was revoked. Added to that, being intimate also leans towards the Talaaq being revoked. Please provide a clear answer regarding the status of the Nikaah.

ANSWER:

In principle, if the divorce issued was a Talaaq while intoxicated, it is still considered valid and takes effect. If the divorce was a Talaaq-e-Bain, then the marriage is not automatically reinstated-a new Nikaah would be required for the couple to reconcile. If it was a Talaaq-e-Raj’ee, then reconciliation can occur during the Iddah period, and intimacy alone is sufficient to restore the marriage without the need for a new Nikaah.

In your specific case, since your husband agreed to and signed for a Talaaq-e-Bain (if it is as you have stated in the query), its ruling applies accordingly. Therefore, the marriage was not reinstated through intimacy during the Iddah. To reconcile, a completely new Nikaah and Mahr would be necessary. The intimacy that occurred after the Talaaq-e-Bain does not count as reconciliation; rather, sincere Taubah (repentance) should be made for this action.

 الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 235)

(وَيَقَعُ طَلَاقُ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَالِغٍ عَاقِلٍ) وَلَوْ تَقْدِيرًا بَدَائِعُ، لِيَدْخُلَ السَّكْرَانُ

  بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (3/ 187)

فإن كانا حرين فالحكم الأصلي لما دون الثلاث من الواحدة البائنة، والثنتين البائنتين هو نقصان عدد الطلاق، وزوال الملك أيضا حتى لا يحل له وطؤها إلا بنكاح جديد

مختصر القدوري (ص: 159)

وإذا كان الطلاق بائنا دون الثلاث فله أن يتزوجها في عدتها وبعد انقضاء عدتها

  الفتاوي العالمكيرية ج١ ص٤٧٦ مكتبة رشيدية

الرَّجْعَةُ إبْقَاءُ النِّكَاحِ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مَا دَامَتْ فِي الْعِدَّةِ كَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ وَهِيَ عَلَى ضَرْبَيْنِ: سُنِّيٌّ وَبِدْعِيٌّ (فَالسُّنِّيُّ) أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا بِالْقَوْلِ وَيُشْهِدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا شَاهِدَيْنِ وَيُعْلِمَهَا بِذَلِكَ فَإِذَا رَاجَعَهَا بِالْقَوْلِ نَحْوُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهَا: رَاجَعْتُك أَوْ رَاجَعْتُ امْرَأَتِي وَلَمْ يُشْهِدْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَشْهَدَ وَلَمْ يُعْلِمْهَا بِذَلِكَ فَهُوَ بِدْعِيٌّ مُخَالِفٌ لِلسُّنَّةِ وَالرَّجْعَةُ صَحِيحَةٌ وَإِنْ رَاجَعَهَا بِالْفِعْلِ مِثْلُ أَنْ يَطَأَهَا أَوْ يُقَبِّلَهَا بِشَهْوَةٍ أَوْ يَنْظُرَ إلَى فَرْجِهَا بِشَهْوَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَصِيرُ مُرَاجِعًا عِنْدَنَا إلَّا أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ وَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِالْإِشْهَادِ كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ النَّيِّرَةِ

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak

Date: 27 Shawwaal 1447 / 15 April 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb