Pronouncing Divorce Before Marriage
As-salaam-alay-kum, I have recently read some disturbing fatwas and needed to know your opinion in this matter. A non-muslim friend of mine read that Islam allows divorce even before marriage so he told me and I was very shocked too. Seems like Hanafi and Maliki fiqhs allow divorce before marriage while Hanbali and Shafaee do not. For example, what I read also was that if an unmarried man made a statement while he was still single that "If I marry XYZ (named a lady) then she is divorced" then according to Hanafis and Mailikis the lady will be automatically divorced from him as soon as he marries her. What is your opinion on this issue? Also can you please provide me with any evidence (Quran or Sunnah) that validates Hanifi and Maliki opinions that a divorce statement before marriage is valid and applicable in future marriage. In short, why Hanafis and Malikis count this is divorce? So which opinion is more correct and supported by evidence? I need this to find out the truth on this matter so i can also educate my non-muslim friend that why it is like this. Please do reply as soon as possible. Jazzak Allah.
