What is the ruling when a husband says to his wife, 'You are divorced according to the Sunnah'?

Chapter on Explicit Divorce and Others

Al-Mughni

Book of Divorce

Book 39 · Issue 1 · Bab 2

Open in Qurani

Primary text

When a husband states, 'You are divorced according to the Sunnah' (Anti taliqun li-s-sunnah), a single divorce occurs at the time prescribed by the Sunnah. The Sunnah divorce is one pronouncement during a period of purity (Tuhur) in which no intercourse has taken place.

Supporting text

Abu Hanifa holds that this statement results in three divorces, occurring over three menstrual periods, based on his understanding that this sequence constitutes the Sunnah.