and "I have returned you (irtaja'tuki)," "I have taken you back (radadtuki)," and "I have retained you (amsaktuki)." This is because these wordings are supported by the Book [Qur'an] and the Sunnah. As for "returning (radd)" and "retaining (imsak)," they are supported by the Book in His saying, the Almighty: "And their husbands have more right to take them back (biraddihinna) in that period," and His saying: "Then retain them (fa-amsikuhunna) in kindness," meaning: the return (raj'ah). The term "raj'ah" is supported by the Sunnah through the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Command him to take her back (fa-li-yuraji'ha)." This term has become well-known in this context among people of convention, like the fame of the term "divorce (talaq)" therein; for they call it "raj'ah," and the woman a "raj'iyyah" (revocable divorcee). It is derived that its wording is the sole explicit (sarih) expression, due to its fame to the exclusion of others, as we stated regarding the explicit expression of divorce. The precaution is for him to say: "I have returned my wife to my marriage, or my spouse," or "I have returned her due to the divorce of mine that occurred upon her." If he says: "I have married her (nakahtuha)" or "I have taken her in marriage (tazawwajtuha)," this is not explicit therein because the return is not a marriage. Does the return occur through it? There are two opinions: The first is that the return does not occur through it, because this is a metonymy (kinayah), and the return is the making of a private part lawful in an intended manner, and it does not occur through metonymy, like marriage. The second is that the return is achieved through it, as indicated by Ahmad, and chosen by Ibn Hamid; because a foreign woman is made lawful through it, so a revocable divorcee is more deserving. Based on this, he needs to intend the return by it, because whatever is a metonymy is considered based on intention, like the metonymies of divorce.

Section: If he says: "I have returned you out of love," or says: "out of insult," and says: "I meant that I have returned you because of my love for you, or as an insult to you," the return is valid, because he invoked the return and clarified its cause.