The ṭalāq (divorce) system during the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and during the time of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafā’ al-Rāshidūn) was largely the same in principle, as they all followed the Qur'an and Sunnah.

 The ṭalāq (divorce) system during the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and during the time of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafā’ al-Rāshidūn) was largely the same in principle, as they all followed the Qur'an and Sunnah. However, there was one major difference, particularly during the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, related to triple talaq (ṭalāq thalāthah).

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✅ Talaq During the Prophet’s Lifetime (ﷺ)

• Divorce was done in a disciplined and structured manner:

  • One talaq at a time.

  • Pronounced during a period of purity (ṭuhr), when the wife was not menstruating and there had been no intercourse during that cycle.

  • A man could pronounce one talaq, then wait through the ‘iddah (waiting period) to reconcile or let it finalize.

  • If reconciliation happened, the marriage continued. If not, the talaq became effective.

  • This cycle could be repeated up to two more times (i.e., total of three in a lifetime), after which the divorce became final.

Triple talaq in one sitting was considered one divorce — not three.

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✅ Talaq During the Time of the Four Caliphs

1. Abu Bakr (RA) and early Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA):

• The practice continued as in the Prophet’s time.

• Triple talaq pronounced in one sitting was still treated as one divorce.

2. Later during Umar’s Caliphate:

• People began abusing the system by pronouncing triple talaq in one sitting to quickly end marriages without due process.

• To discipline the community and prevent mockery of the Shari‘ah, Caliph Umar (RA) made a policy decision:

  He ruled that triple talaq in one sitting would be counted as three, binding and final.

• This was not a change in divine law, but an administrative ijtihād (independent reasoning) to enforce discipline.

3. Uthman (RA) and Ali (RA):

• Continued to apply the general system based on the Qur'an and Sunnah.

• Umar's policy on triple talaq remained influential and was continued by most Sunni jurists later.

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🔍 Summary of the Key Difference:

Aspect	During Prophet ﷺ	During Caliph Umar (RA)
Triple Talaq in One Sitting	Counted as one	Counted as three, irrevocable
Reason	Mercy and flexibility in Shari‘ah	Prevent abuse and enforce seriousness of divorce
Legal Status	Based on Sunnah	Administrative ijtihād (Sunni madhhabs accepted it)

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📌 Today:

• Sunni scholars generally follow Umar’s ruling (3 talaqs in one sitting = final divorce).

• Shia scholars and some modern jurists view it as only one talaq