“If you are not prettier than the moon, I give you three divorces!

[jameelash]

salam

Qaazi Abu Bakr ibn Arabi rahmatullahi alayh narrates that in the time that Mansur was the ruler of Baghdad, a man called Musa ibn Eesa Haashimi said to his wife in a state of intense, intimate love,

“If you are not prettier than the moon, I give you three divorces!”

The woman became extremely worried and thought that the divorce has been sanctioned. Consequently, she stopped coming in front of her husband. When the man came to his senses and out of his state of intense love, he became worried too. In fact, he spent the entire night sleepless and in much difficulty. After much worry, the morning came and Musa went straight to Mansur and narrated what had happened. Mansur immediately called the biggest scholars and jurists of the city and presented the story before them. The majority of the scholars felt that the divorce had been sanctioned because the wife was not as pretty as the moon. However, one jurist from amongst them said that the divorce was not valid. When he was asked for the reason he related the verse from the Qur’an, “We have created mankind in the best mould.” (95:4)

Mansur really liked this reply and Musa ibn Eesa was sent away with this answer that the alleged divorce was not valid.

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[Danah]

Wa Alykom Assalam

JazakiAllah khair for posting this story sister, but can you post the source for this story?

I read the same story but it was about Imam Malik and Imam Shafi'e when the last was the one who quoted the verse from the Quran and said that the divorce is not valid.
I heard the same story from one of Mohammad Al-Sharif lectures about Imam Al-Shafi'e

[syed_z]

Asalaam O Alaikum

Al Mansur the Caliph in Baghdad lived at the time of Imam Shafi and therefore the jurist mentioned in the story the sister quoted could be no other than Imam Shafi im pretty sure.

[ardianto]

My wife is not beautiful!!


Question
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I have been married for a few years. During the first two years I was happy with my marriage and I loved my wife, but after that I started to feel that I disliked my wife. That is not because of religion, because she is religiously committed and has a good character, praise be to Allaah. Rather it has to do with her beauty, because she is not beautiful enough to keep me chaste and make me lower my gaze. I am afraid of mistreating her because I do not feel happy with her and sometimes I frown at her for no reason. The problem is that I cannot marry another wife because I am not financially able. I thought of taking a loan in order to marry but then I would be living in poverty because of the loan. I have thought a lot about divorcing her and letting her go in kindness and replacing her with another, but I have children from her and she loves me a lot. I have thought about this a great deal and it is disturbing my sleep, because I do not know what to do. What should I do, may Allaah reward you.

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Answer
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Praise be to Allaah.

My dear brother, I appreciate your confidence in me and I ask Allaah to make us and you strong and steadfast, and to guide us. With regard to your question, I offer the following comments:

1 – The problem you have is not with regard to marrying a second wife, or divorcing your wife. The problem, as you mention, is a financial problem. So long as you are not able to marry another wife, then you should keep the wife with whom Allaah has blessed you.

2 – Whenever you are able and have the financial means, and praise be to Allaah that He has permitted plural marriage to you… In my opinion that is easier for a woman to bear than divorce, especially since you have children from her.

3 – Try to look at the matter from a different angle. You may find many positive things in her, and beauty is not everything, believe me. How she behaves and treats you… and many things which are ultimately more important than appearance. For with time you will get used to her appearance, and how she behaves will be what matters…

4 – Imagine that you find a very beautiful woman and marry her… then she starts to treat you in an arrogant or impolite manner… or she treats you and your family badly… what would you do?!

5 – You should be objective and not burden yourself with more than you can bear. Look at the matter from different aspects. “it may be that you dislike a thing and Allaah brings through it a great deal of good” [al-Nisa’ 4:19 – interpretation of the meaning]. And remember the advice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Look for one [a wife] who is religiously committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!”

May Allaah help you, protect you and make you steadfast in following the path of goodness and truth.

Answered by Ahmad al-Muqbil


http://islamqa.info/en/ref/21510

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[ayesha.ansari]

I want to confirm one thing here that this divorce is not valid because of verse from the Qur’an, “We have created mankind in the best mould.” (95:4) or the husband was in state of intense, intimate love.

[ardianto]

Insult a creature means insulting its creator.

[Muslim Woman]

:sl:


it's really a pity that how some / many Muslim men abuse their power of divorce . May Allah guide those men who play with Allah's commands.

[Sothis Girl]

if he is in "intense love and intimate", then why did he wanted to divorce the wife only because she's unpretty? DUH :hiding:

[Rabi'ya]

Assalamualaikum

It appears to me that he said this and meant that his wife was prettier that the moon, and in order to emphasise it he said that if she was not then he would divorce. It like saying if so and so happens then Im the Queen of England. Perhaps he used it just as empahsis rather than actually meaning it. We must remember that in times of intense love and pleasure if it possible to be in a state whereby we are not in control of ourselves, speech or emotions. Love is indeed a drug.

peace and blessings.