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SHAH ALAM – A husband’s vow to divorce his wife with "talak tiga” (triple talaq) if Argentina lost a football match could take effect if the condition stated was fulfilled, said former religious affairs minister Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.
He said a divorce declaration made conditionally (talaq ta‘liq) would be effective when the condition attached to it occurs, based on the majority opinion of Islamic scholars from the Hanafi, Maliki, Syafi‘i and Hanbali schools.
“According to the majority view of scholars, the husband’s statement – ‘If Argentina loses, my wife is divorced with triple talaq’ – would be considered effective once the condition stated is fulfilled.
“Since Argentina lost the match, the talaq would take effect based on that view,” he said in a statement on Threads.
He cited the views of Imam Abu Syuja’ and Imam al-Nawawi, who stated that a divorce tied to a condition takes effect once the condition is fulfilled – a position he said is accepted without dispute within the Syafi‘i school.
Zulkifli said Muslims should always guard their speech, as a statement uttered within seconds – even in jest or as part of a bet – could carry serious consequences that may affect an entire family, especially when it involves matters of divorce.
“Three matters are considered serious whether said seriously or jokingly: marriage, divorce and reconciliation,” he said, citing a hadith of Prophet Muhammad.
He advised couples facing the situation to immediately refer the matter to the Syariah Court or the relevant religious office to obtain confirmation and a resolution in accordance with Islamic law and the applicable regulations.
Recently, a screenshot of a conversation went viral on social media, where a woman sought advice after claiming her husband had vowed to divorce her with "talak tiga” (triple talaq) if Argentina lost a football match against Spain.
The woman had allegedly said the statement was made by her husband as a bet with his friends while watching the match, prompting questions over whether such a declaration made in a joking context would carry legal implications under Islamic law.
In Islam, a triple talaq divorce prevents any reconciliation, unless the wife marries another man and the new husband later divorces her.