Chapter on Marital Discord (Shiqaq)

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 4|Chapter 15

Chapter on Marital Discord (Shiqaq)

3 hadiths · 2 commentaries

الشِّقَاقُ قَدْ يَكُونُ مِنَ الْمَرْأَةِ وَ الرَّجُلِ جَمِيعاً وَ هُوَ مِمَّا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقاقَ بَيْنِهِما فَابْعَثُوا حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَ حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِها فَيَخْتَارُ الرَّجُلُ رَجُلًا وَ تَخْتَارُ الْمَرْأَةُ رَجُلًا فَيَجْتَمِعَانِ عَلَى فُرْقَةٍ أَوْ عَلَى صُلْحٍ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا الْإِصْلَاحَ أَصْلَحَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَسْتَأْمِرَا وَ إِنْ أَرَادَا أَنْ يُفَرِّقَا فَلَيْسَ لَهُمَا أَنْ يُفَرِّقَا إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَنْ يَسْتَأْمِرَا الزَّوْجَ وَ الْمَرْأَةَ.

Disputes (shiqaq) can arise from both the husband and the wife. This is related to what Allah , the Mighty and Majestic, has said: "And if you fear discord between them, appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family." (Surah An-Nisa 4:35) The husband should choose a representative from his family, and the wife should choose a representative from hers. These two arbitrators will then meet to decide either on separation or reconciliation. If they intend reconciliation, they may proceed with it without seeking further permission. However, if they wish to separate the couple, they are not allowed to do so unless they seek the consent of both the husband and the wife.

Hadith #1

وَ رَوَى حَمَّادٌ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: فَابْعَثُوا حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَ حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِهٰا قَالَ "لَيْسَ لِلْحَكَمَيْنِ أَنْ يُفَرِّقَا حَتَّى يَسْتَأْمِرَا اَلرَّجُلَ وَ اَلْمَرْأَةَ وَ يَشْتَرِطَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا إِنْ شَاءَا جَمَعَا وَ إِنْ شَاءَا فَرَّقَا فَإِنْ جَمَعَا فَجَائِزٌ وَ إِنْ فَرَّقَا فَجَائِزٌ".

Hammad narrated from Al-Halabi, from Abu Abdullah , who said: I asked him about the saying of Allah , the Mighty and Majestic: "Appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family" (Surah An-Nisa 4:35). Imam said: "The two arbitrators do not have the authority to separate the couple until they consult both the husband and the wife and set conditions upon them. If they both agree, they may choose to reconcile or separate. If they choose to reconcile, it is valid, and if they choose to separate, it is also valid."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #2

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ لَمَّا بَلَغْتُ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعَ ذَكَرْتُ فَصْلًا لِهِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ مَعَ بَعْضِ الْمُخَالِفِينَ فِي الْحَكَمَيْنِ بِصِفِّينَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ وَ أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِيرَادَهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ جِنْسِ مَا وَضَعْتُ لَهُ الْبَابَ قَالَ الْمُخَالِفُ إِنَّ الْحَكَمَيْنِ لِقَبُولِهِمَا الْحَكَمَ كَانَا مُرِيدَيْنِ لِلْإِصْلَاحِ بَيْنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ هِشَامٌ بَلْ كَانَا غَيْرَ مُرِيدَيْنِ لِلْإِصْلَاحِ بَيْنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ الْمُخَالِفُ مِنْ أَيْنَ قُلْتَ هَذَا قَالَ هِشَامٌ مِنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْحَكَمَيْنِ حَيْثُ يَقُولُ إِنْ يُرِيدا إِصْلاحاً يُوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُما فَلَمَّا اخْتَلَفَا وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَهُمَا اتِّفَاقٌ عَلَى أَمْرٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ لَمْ يُوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا عَلِمْنَا أَنَّهُمَا لَمْ يُرِيدَا الْإِصْلَاحَ رَوَى ذَلِكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ.

The author of this book, may Allah have mercy on him, said: When I reached this point, I recalled a discussion involving Hisham ibn Al-Hakam with some opponents regarding the two arbitrators at the Battle of Siffin-Amr ibn Al-As and Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari. I wished to include it here, even though it does not directly relate to the subject of this chapter. The opponent argued that the two arbitrators, by accepting arbitration, intended to reconcile the two parties. Hisham responded: "Rather, they did not intend reconciliation between the two parties." The opponent asked: "On what basis do you say this?" Hisham replied: "From the saying of Allah , concerning the two arbitrators: 'If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will cause harmony between them' (Surah An-Nisa 4:35). Since they disagreed and could not agree on any matter, and Allah did not cause harmony between them, we know that they did not intend reconciliation." This narration was reported by Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham ibn Al-Hakam.

Hadith #2

وَ رَوَى اَلْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْجَوْهَرِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَبُو إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلْمَرْأَةِ يَكُونُ لَهَا زَوْجٌ قَدْ أُصِيبَ فِي عَقْلِهِ بَعْدَ مَا تَزَوَّجَهَا أَوْ عَرَضَ لَهُ جُنُونٌ فَقَالَ "لَهَا أَنْ تَنْزِعَ نَفْسَهَا مِنْهُ إِنْ شَاءَتْ ".

Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad Al-Jawhari narrated from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah who said: Abu Ibrahim (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim ) was asked about a woman whose husband lost his sanity after marrying her or developed insanity. Imam said: "She has the right to separate herself from him if she wishes."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #3

وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: "أَنَّهُ إِنْ بَلَغَ بِهِ اَلْجُنُونُ مَبْلَغاً لاَ يَعْرِفُ أَوْقَاتَ اَلصَّلاَةِ فُرِّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ عَرَفَ أَوْقَاتَ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَلْتَصْبِرِ اَلْمَرْأَةُ مَعَهُ فَقَدْ بُلِيَتْ ".

And in another narration: "If his insanity reaches the point where he no longer recognizes the times of prayer, they are to be separated. However, if he still recognizes the times of prayer, the woman should remain patient with him, for she has been tested."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh