Divorce by a Speechless Man

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ تَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ ثُمَّ يَصْمُتُ فَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ قَالَ يَكُونُ أَخْرَسَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَيُعْلَمُ مِنْهُ بُغْضٌ لِامْرَأَتِهِ وَ كَرَاهَتُهُ لَهَا أَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ عَنْهُ وَلِيُّهُ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ يَكْتُبُ وَ يُشْهِدُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لَا يَكْتُبُ وَ لَا يَسْمَعُ كَيْفَ يُطَلِّقُهَا فَقَالَ بِالَّذِي يُعْرَفُ مِنْهُ مِنْ فِعَالِهِ مِثْلِ مَا ذَكَرْ

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who is mute, does not speak and has a wife. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Is he speechless?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he is speechless and it is seen that he hates his wife and dislikes her. Is it permissible for his guardian to divorce on his behalf?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ طَلَاقِ الْخَرْسَاءِ قَالَ يَلُفُّ قِنَاعَهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهَا وَ يَجْذِبُهُ‌[2].

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who is speechless. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must wrap her scarf around her head, then pull it away.’”

طَلَاقُ الْأَخْرَسِ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِقْنَعَتَهَا فَيَضَعَهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهَا وَ يَعْتَزِلَهَا.

‘Divorce by a speechless man can happen by his placing her headscarf on her head and then taking it away from her head.’”

إِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فِي قُبُلِ الطُّهْرِ بِشُهُودٍ وَ فُهِمَ عَنْهُ كَمَا يُفْهَمُ عَنْ مِثْلِهِ وَ يُرِيدُ الطَّلَاقَ جَازَ طَلَاقُهُ عَلَى السُّنَّةِ.

the divorce for his wife. He (the Imam) (a.s.), said, ‘If he has done so during a Hayd (menses)-free period in the presence of witnesses and it is understood from him as it is understood from people like him who decide to divorce, his divorce is permissible according to Sunnah.