Chapter on the Divorce by an Insane Person
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 4|Chapter 5
مَا رَوَاهُ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ اَلْقَمَّاطِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ، لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ يَعْرِفُ رَأْيَهُ مَرَّةً وَ يُنْكِرُهُ أُخْرَى يَجُوزُ طَلاَقُ وَلِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ "مَا لَهُ هُوَ لاَ يُطَلِّقُ" قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ يَعْرِفُ حَدَّ اَلطَّلاَقِ وَ لاَ يُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ طَلَّقَ اَلْيَوْمَ أَنْ يَقُولَ غَداً لَمْ أُطَلِّقْ فَقَالَ "مَا أَرَاهُ إِلاَّ بِمَنْزِلَةِ اَلْإِمَامِ يَعْنِي اَلْوَلِيَّ".
Ṣafwan ibn Yaḥya narrated from Abu Khalid al-Qammaṭ, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام: "A man who sometimes understands his own position and at other times denies it, can his guardian (wali) issue a divorce on his behalf?" Imam عليه السلام said: "What is wrong with him? Can he not divorce himself?" I said: "He does not understand the rules of divorce, and if he divorces today, he might say tomorrow that he did not divorce." Imam عليه السلام said: "I see him (wali) as being in the position of an Imam - that is, the guardian (wali) has authority over him."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh