Ahmad, [who said] if he divorces his wife once by 'al-battah' (the severance), then her affair is in her own hand, and he may increase her dowry if he desires to take her back. This indicates that he performed one 'ba'in' (separating) divorce through it, for he placed her affair in her own hand; if it were a revocable divorce, he would not have placed her affair in her own hand, nor would she have needed an increase in her dowry, and if it had counted as three, it would not be lawful for him to take her back. Abu al-Khattab said: 'This narration is extended to all manifest metonyms, and thus it would be like the statement of Ibrahim al-Nakha'i.' Its reasoning is that he performed the divorce with the quality of 'bayunah' (separation), so it occurred as he performed it and did not exceed one; because his wording did not necessitate a number, so no more than one occurred, just as if he had said: 'You are divorced.' Al-Qadi interpreted the narration of Hanbal as meaning that this is [only if it happens] after the completion of the waiting period ('iddah).

The second category is those [terms] regarding which there is disagreement, and these are of two types. The first type is specifically stipulated, and they are ten: 'Join your family,' 'Your rope is on your shoulder,' 'I have no path over you,' 'You are 'haraj' (a burden/forbidden) to me,' 'You are 'haram' (forbidden) to me,' 'Go and marry whomever you wish,' 'Cover your hair,' 'You are free,' and 'I have emancipated you.' There are two narrations from Ahmad regarding these; one of them is that they count as three. The second is that it reverts to what he intended, and if he intended nothing, then it is one, like all other metonyms.

The second type is measured against these, such as: 'Seek the absolution of your womb,' 'You are lawful for husbands [again],' 'Cover yourself,' and 'I have no authority over you.' These are in the same meaning as those that are stipulated, so their ruling is their ruling. The correct [opinion] regarding his statement: 'Join your family' is that it is one, and it does not count as three except with intention, because the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to the daughter of al-Jawn: 'Join your family.' This is agreed upon, and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would not have divorced [her] three times while he had forbidden his nation from that. Al-Athram said: 'I said to Abu 'Abd Allah: "The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to the daughter of al-Jawn: 'Join your family,' and it was not a divorce other than this, and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would not have divorced three times, for that would be a divorce contrary to the Sunnah." He replied: "I do not know." Likewise, his statement: "Observe the waiting period and seek the absolution of your womb," is not restricted to three; for that happens with one [divorce] just as it happens with three. Abu Hurayrah narrated from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he said