Calling one’s wife an adulteress

Question

Question: If a person says to his wife, and also writes it down: “You keep committing zina (adultery) with such-and-such a man,” and goes about having this announced, will talaq take effect on this person’s wife from the man’s words or not?

Answer

Saying such a thing without Shari‘a proof is a grave act of disobedience and a major sin (kabira). Its punishment is li‘an (mutual imprecation of spouses), but its conditions are not present here, so the ruling of li‘an will not be given. Nevertheless, by saying this neither has talaq taken effect nor has the nikah ended.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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