Talaq in a State of Anger

Question

I was asleep when someone woke me, but I did not know who had woken me, because I was in a heavy sleep. My wife’s rope bed was next to mine. When I looked at her bed, my wife was not there. I lit a match and saw that all the doors leading outside were shut, that is, the latches were fastened. Seeing this I flared up in anger. When I lit a second match, my wife asked: “Why are you so agitated, what is the matter?” Because the fire of my anger was blazing, I said: “جا تجھے طلاق ہے” (“Go, you have talaq”).

Answer

It appears that at the time of pronouncing the talaq sleep did not overpower this man to such an extent that the words of talaq slipped from his tongue involuntarily and unknowingly; rather, owing to suspicion about his wife, he became angry and gave the talaq. So, if because of anger his senses had become paralysed and, like an insane person (majnun)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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