What is the ruling when a husband says to his wife, 'You are divorced at the end of the first half of the month'?
Chapter on Explicit Divorce and Others
Al-Mughni
Book of Divorce
Primary text
If a husband states, 'You are divorced at the end of the first half of the month' (أنت طالق في آخر أول الشهر), the divorce takes effect at the end of the first day of the month. This is because the first day constitutes the beginning of the month. This ruling is supported by the majority opinion, which is considered the sounder view, as anything beyond the first day is not explicitly named the beginning of the month, and the plain meaning of the pronouncement must be upheld.
Supporting text
Abu Bakr held that the divorce occurs at sunset on the fifteenth day of the month. This view is shared by Al-Abbas ibn Surayj.