Muhammad bin Iyas bin Bukair said: A man gave his wife three divorces before consummation, then he wanted to marry her again, so he went to ask about the matter, and I went with him. He asked Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with them. Both said: It is not permissible for you to marry this woman until she marries another man. The man said: With one divorce, the woman became separated (bain) from me. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: You have lost your right by your own hand.

It is narrated from Ata bin Yasar that a man came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked: What is the ruling for a person who gives his wife three divorces before consummation? Ata said that for a virgin, one divorce takes effect. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You are a storyteller; with one divorce, she becomes separated (bain), and with three divorces, she becomes forbidden (haram) until she marries another man.

Muawiyah bin Abu Ayyash was sitting with our masters Abdullah bin Zubair and Asim bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when Muhammad bin Iyas bin Bukair came and said that a Bedouin man had given his wife three divorces before consummation, so what is your opinion? Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "We do not know anything about this issue. Go to Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him); I left them both with Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and inform me of what they say." Muhammad bin Iyas went there and asked them. Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said to Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), "You tell, for a difficult issue has come to you." Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "In one divorce, there are two forms: it becomes irrevocable (bain), and in three divorces, she becomes forbidden (haram) until she marries another man." Then Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said the same.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, this is the ruling: if someone marries a previously married woman and gives her three divorces before consummation, she becomes unlawful for him until she marries another husband.