A divorce deed published in a newspaper without the husband’s knowledge

Question

A few days after the wedding of one Muhammad ‘Uthman, disagreements began, but these disagreements were not of such a degree that I would give my wife talaq; rather, I wanted to admonish her. One day I told a friend of mine that I wanted to give my wife a revocable (raj‘i) talaq, whereupon my friend, without my knowledge, published the following announcement in a local newspaper: “From Muhammad ‘Uthman, meat trader, Hyderabad, to Habib Bibi, daughter of the late respected Muhammad.

Answer

Since your friend, without your consultation and knowledge, published the divorce deed in the newspaper on your behalf, and you did not accept it but rather refuted it, no talaq has occurred to your wife because of this divorce deed. Rest completely assured: your nikah remains intact as before.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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