A revocable divorce refers to the first and second time divorce while the divorced woman is still in her iddah (waiting) period. It is permissible for the man who divorced his wife for the first or second time to revoke the divorce without seeking her consent or renewing the marriage contract, although she has to be aware that the divorce has been revoked.
The waiting period is different from one woman to another. For a woman who has her usual menstrual period (menstruating), her waiting period is three months from the day of divorce. For those who do not have any monthly cycle, such as old age (menopause), or health condition, her waiting period is also three months. For a divorced pregnant woman, her waiting period ends with her childbirth.
Islam is keen about the stabilization and continuation of marriage, as a result it legalizes a way to revoke the divorce. Hence, if a man divorces his wife by mistake, thereafter he realizes his act, Islam gives him two chances to revoke his divorce and restore his relationship for the first and second time without the consent of the wife.
However, if the revoke comes after the waiting period for the first and second divorce has elapsed, the revoke has to be with her consent; a new agreement needed to be made, a new bride price should be paid.