One of them is that the exception is void, and three [divorces] occur; because the conjunction necessitates the participation of the conjoined in [the ruling of] that to which it is conjoined, thus he becomes one who excepts three from three. This is a view held by the companions of al-Shafi'i and is the statement of Abu Hanifa. The second is that the exception is valid regarding one divorce; because the exception of a smaller amount is permissible, whereas the exception of the second and third is not valid, so it is void by itself. Abu Yusuf and Muhammad said: The exception of two [divorces] is valid, and it is void regarding the third, based on their principle that the exception of the majority is permissible. This is the second view of the companions of al-Shafi'i. If he says: 'You are divorced two times except one divorce and one divorce,' there are two views regarding it. If he says: 'You are divorced three times except one divorce and a half,' it admits two views as well: one of them is that the exception is void, because the half is completed, so he would be an excepter of the majority, thus it is void. The second is that it is valid regarding one divorce, so two divorces occur, for the reason we mentioned regarding the one before it. If he says: 'You are divorced three times except one [divorce] and except one [divorce],' he would be conjoining an exception to an exception, so the first is valid and the second is void; because if we were to validate it, he would be an excepter of the majority, so two divorces occur by it. It also arises, according to the statement of the one who permitted the exception of the majority, that it should be valid in both, and thus one divorce occurs. If he says: 'You are divorced three times except one [divorce], except one [divorce],' he is excepting one from the one excepted [divorce], so it is possible that the second exception is void and the first is valid, so two divorces occur by it. It is also possible that three [divorces] occur by it; because the second exception has the meaning of establishing a divorce against her, due to the fact that an exception from a negation is an affirmation, so this is accepted in the occurrence of his divorce even if it is not accepted in its negation, just as if he said: 'You are divorced two times and a half,' three [divorces] occur by it. If he said: 'You are divorced three times except half a divorce,' three [divorces] occur, for the half is completed in affirmation, but not completed in negation.

Section: The exception from an exception is valid. It is not valid in divorce except for one issue, upon which there is disagreement, and it is his statement: 'You are divorced three times except two, except one.' For it is valid if we permit...