What is the ruling on someone who said to his wife: "If I do this, my wife is threefold divorced," intending thereby to strongly commit himself not to do the matter, and does the divorce take place if he does that, and how many divorces take place, and what are the rulings resulting from them?

A man's statement to his wife, "If you do this, my wife is threefold divorced," is a conditional divorce (talaq mu'allaq). The majority of jurists hold that divorce occurs upon the fulfillment of the condition. However, some scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, are of the view that the matter depends on the speaker's intention. If he intended to prevent an action and did not intend divorce, then he must offer expiation for breaking an oath if he violates it, and no divorce occurs. If he intended for divorce to occur, then a single revocable divorce occurs upon violation, and he may take her back as long as she is within her waiting period ('iddah).