Writing Talaaq and later deleting the message

QUESTION:

If a person types “Talaaq” on WhatsApp to his wife, but he deletes it without sending it, will this be regarded as a Talaaq?

ANSWER:

If he wrote the word ‘Talaaq’ on his wife’s Whatsapp with the intention of divorcing her, then the moment he writes the word ‘Talaaq’, his wife will be divorced, even though he later deletes it.

Re:- Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah Pg.259 Vol.18

وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَرْسُومَةً يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ نَوَى أَوْ لَمْ يَنْوِ ثُمَّ الْمَرْسُومَةُ لَا تَخْلُو أَمَّا إنْ أَرْسَلَ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَكَمَا كَتَبَ هَذَا يَقَعُ الطَّلَاقُ وَتَلْزَمُهَا الْعِدَّةُ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْكِتَابَةِ. (الفتاوي الهندية ص378 ج1)

 وَإِنْ عَلَّقَ طَلَاقَهَا بِمَجِيءِ الْكِتَابِ بِأَنْ كَتَبَ إذَا جَاءَك كِتَابِي هَذَا فَأَنْت طَالِقٌ فَمَا لَمْ يَجِئْ إلَيْهَا الْكِتَابُ لَا يَقَعُ كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ. (الفتاوي الهندية ص378 ج1)

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

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date:- 26 Muharram 1445 / 14 August 2023