The Ruling on the Words “Left” and “Set Free”

Question

Question: (1) Is the word “free” explicit (sarih) or allusive (kinaya)? (2) Is the word “left” explicit or allusive?

Answer

(1) In our custom (‘urf), when a husband uses these words about his wife, “I have set her free”, talaq itself is meant by them; hence this is equivalent to explicit (sarih) talaq. (2) This word too is used in the same way as the words “set free”. If the custom of some other region is different, its ruling will also be different.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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