Command him ('Abdullah b. 'Umar) to take her back (and keep her) and pronounce divorce when she is purified and she again enters the period of menstruation and she is again purified (after passing the period of menses), and then if he so desires he may keep her and if he desires divorce her (finally) before touching her (without having an intercourse with her), for that is the period of waiting ('ldda) which God, the Exalted and Glorious, has commanded for the divorce of women.
The Book of Divorce - Sahih Muslim 1471a
This narration from Abdullah ibn Umar concerns the proper procedure for revocable divorce (talaq raj'i) according to Islamic law, emphasizing the importance of observing the prescribed waiting period ('idda).
Scholarly Commentary
The command to "take her back" refers to the husband's right to resume marital relations during the waiting period following a first or second divorce, as this type of divorce is revocable.
"Pronounce divorce when she is purified" indicates the Sunnah method of divorce should occur during a period of ritual purity (tuhr) in which no sexual intercourse has occurred, ensuring clarity about paternity should pregnancy be discovered.
The requirement to wait through two menstrual cycles establishes the complete 'iddah period, during which the marital bond remains partially intact and reconciliation remains possible.
"Before touching her" means before resuming sexual relations, as intercourse during the waiting period automatically revokes the divorce and reinstates the marriage fully.
This meticulous procedure prevents hasty divorces, protects women's rights during transitional periods, and honors the sanctity of marriage while providing orderly dissolution when necessary.
Legal Rulings Derived
The revocable divorce allows resumption of marriage without new contract during the three-month waiting period.
The Sunnah method requires pronouncing divorce during purity without prior intercourse in that period.
The triple divorce pronounced simultaneously is considered religiously improper though legally effective according to most scholars.
The 'iddah period serves multiple purposes: determining possible pregnancy, allowing reconciliation, and providing transition time.