Chapter on Marital Discord (shiqaq)

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَابْعَثُوا حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَ حَكَماً مِنْ أَهْلِها قَالَ لَيْسَ لِلْحَكَمَيْنِ أَنْ يُفَرِّقَا حَتَّى يَسْتَأْمِرَا الرَّجُلَ وَ الْمَرْأَةَ وَ يَشْتَرِطَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا إِنْ شَاءَا جَمَعَا وَ إِنْ شَاءَا فَرَّقَا فَإِنْ جَمَعَا فَجَائِزٌ وَ إِنْ فَرَّقَا فَجَائِزٌ.

I asked him about the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: "Appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family" (Surah An-Nisa 4:35). Imam (as) 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

سُئِلَ أَبُو إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ يَكُونُ لَهَا زَوْجٌ قَدْ أُصِيبَ فِي عَقْلِهِ بَعْدَ مَا تَزَوَّجَهَا أَوْ عَرَضَ لَهُ جُنُونٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا أَنْ تَنْزِعَ نَفْسَهَا مِنْهُ إِنْ شَاءَتْ‌[1].

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

فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ إِنْ بَلَغَ بِهِ الْجُنُونُ مَبْلَغاً لَا يَعْرِفُ أَوْقَاتَ الصَّلَاةِ فُرِّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ عَرَفَ أَوْقَاتَ الصَّلَاةِ فَلْتَصْبِرِ الْمَرْأَةُ مَعَهُ فَقَدْ بُلِيَتْ‌[2].

Hadith.4819 - 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."