Can a divorced couple remarry validly in Muslim law?

(i) Where the husband has repudiated his wife by three pronouncements, it is not lawful for him to marry her again until she has married another man, and the latter has divorced her or died after actual consummation of the marriage.

 

(ii) In all other cases, the divorced parties may remarry as if there had been no divorce-either during iddat or after its completion.

 

A divorced couple can remarry but for remarriage, they have to observe certain formalities and procedure. These are as follows:

 

(a) The wife should observe iddat

 

(b) The wife should be lawfully married to another man after observing iddat.

 

(c) Such intervening marriage must be actually consummated.

 

(d) The second husband must then pronounce talak.

 

(e) Wife should observe iddat after such talak.

 

(f) After expiry of iddat, she can remarry her former husband.

 

If the marriage has already been consummated, the wife will have to wait till the expiration of the period of iddat to enable her to remarry where the marriage was not consummated, the parties can marry immediately without waiting for expiry of period of iddat.