The ruling on three talaqs when the wife is not addressed

Question

Question: Zayd came home from outside and spoke to his wife, and his wife answered him with harsh words. Zayd went into the house and lay down on the bed, while his wife kept on abusing him in the same way. Zayd had absolutely no intention of giving talaq beforehand. Suddenly Zayd became angry at his wife’s abuse; he rose from lying down, sat up, turned towards his wife and said: “تین طلاق تین طلاق تین طلاق” (“tin talaq, tin talaq, tin talaq” — “three talaqs, three talaqs, three talaqs”).

Answer

For talaq to take effect with explicit (sarih) words no intention (niyya) is needed: talaq takes place even without intention. However, it is necessary that the talaq be attributed to the wife — by addressing her, by name, by pointing, and the like.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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