Topic: Ruling on Nikah Without a Wali’s Permission, Divorce and Reconciliation

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
Sir, please, I have a question, and I am very confused and distressed about my situation.
I am a 29-year-old woman. I am completely financially independent. I married a Pakistan man who is older than me, our Nikah was conducted without a wali. At the time, we were in a country that was neither my home country nor his, he promised me that after the Nikah he would begin the process of arranging a civil marriage and that we would eventually live together in the same country. He gave me his word.
He himself conducted the Nikah, with ijab and qubul, and there were two adult Muslim men present as witnesses. He also gave me a mahr.
After he returned to his country, he told me that the Nikah had been fake, because there was no wali and should each go our separate ways.
I then told him that if he believed the Nikah was invalid, then I would consider it valid and he should divorce me. He said that this was crazy because the Nikah was invalid. However, I insisted, so he said, “Okay, the Nikah is invalid, and you are divorced if that is what you want.” He said this during a video call, and he also considered the divorce to be invalid or “fake” because, according to him, the Nikah itself was invalid.
The Nikah had been announced publicly. I told my friends about it, and he told his family about it.
After that, we continued communicating. He told me that he wanted to see me, and we discussed meeting. He also told me that he wanted to give me a second chance if I said that I was sorry. I told him, “Okay, I do not want a divorce. And I want him to take me back , I am sorry if I did anything that upset you.”
Afterwards, however, he changed his mind and we did not meet.
It has now been three months since he pronounced the word of divorce to me during the video call.
My question is: Was our Nikah valid? And was the divorce valid?
He still says that the Nikah was invalid and that the divorce was also invalid.
I am extremely confused about my situation and would sincerely appreciate your guidance regarding whether I am still considered married to him, divorced from him, or whether the Nikah was invalid from the beginning.
Jazakum Allahu Khayran. May Allah reward you abundantly and grant you Jannatul Firdaus.

In the situation asked about, if the woman is an adult of sound mind, and the nikah took place through ‘ijaab’ and ‘qubool’ in the presence of two adult Muslim male witnesses of sound mind, then the nikah is valid even without the permission of the wali (guardian). Therefore, it is wrong according to Shariah for the husband to call the nikah invalid or fake simply because the wali was not present.
If the nikah is valid, the husband’s words, “If this is what you want, then you are divorced,” are a clear statement of divorce, as the wife had already asked for a divorce and wanted one. These words resulted in one revocable divorce (talaq raj’i). After this, only the husband had the right to take her back (ruju). The wife herself saying “Take me back” does not count as ruju.
If the iddah (waiting period of three menstrual cycles) has now passed without a valid ruju from the husband, the divorce has become irrevocable (talaq ba’in) and the nikah has fully ended. The woman is therefore no longer his wife.
However, if they both wish to live together as husband and wife again by mutual consent, they must perform a new nikah, with a new mahr and carry out ‘ijaab’ and ‘qubool’ again, in the presence of witnesses.

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الدلائل:

و فی مشکوۃ المصابیح: ( ج2 ص 270 باب الولی فی النکاح ط:قدیمی کتب خانہ )
عن ابن عباس ان النبی ﷺ قال الایم احق بنفسھا من ولیھا و البکر تستأذن فی اذنھا و اذنھا صماتھا .

و فی حاشیتھا( ج2 ص270 حاشیۃ )
و قولہ سبحانہ و لا تعضلوھن ان ینکحن ازواجھن فاضاف النکاح الی النساء و نھی عن منعھن منہ و ظاھرہ أن المرأۃ یصح ان ینکح نفسھا و کذا قولہ تعالی فاذا بلغن اجلھن فلا جناح علیکم فیما فعلن فی انفسھن بالمعروف فاباح سبحانہ فعلھا فی نفسھا من غیر شرط الولی الخ .

وفی الشامیة: (3/ 55، کتاب النکاح ، باب الولی، ط: سعید)
(فنفذ نكاح حرة مكلفة بلا) رضا (ولي) والأصل أن كل من تصرف في ماله تصرف في نفسه وما لا فلا.

بدائع الصنائع (2/ 247،کتاب النکاح، فصل: ولایة الندب والاستحباب في النکاح، ط: سعید )
الحرة البالغة العاقلة إذا زوجت نفسها من رجل أو وكلت رجلاً بالتزويج فتزوجها أو زوجها فضولي فأجازت جاز في قول أبي حنيفة وزفر وأبي يوسف الأول سواء زوجت نفسها من كفء أو غير كفء بمهر وافر أو قاصر غير أنها إذا زوجت نفسها من غير كفء فللأولياء حق الاعتراض.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (ج: 3، ص: 345، ط: دار الفكر - بیروت)
) قَوْلُهُ: كَمَا لَوْ عَلَّقَهُ بِكَائِنٍ) كَإِنْ كَانَ السَّمَاءُ فَوْقَنَا فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ أَوْ نَحْوِ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّهُ تَنْجِيزٌ لِأَنَّ الشَّرْطَ فِيهِ مُتَحَقِّقٌ فِي الْحَالِ فَلَا يَتَأَخَّرُ الْوُقُوعُ عَنْهُ.»

الفتاوى الهندية (ج: 1، ص: 418، ط: دار الفكر – بیروت)
إِذَا عَلَّقَ الطَّلَاقَ بِشَرْطٍ مَوْجُودٍ كَانَ تَنْجِيزًا، حَتَّى لَوْ قَالَ لَهَا: إِنْ كَانَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَوْقَنَا فَأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ، وَقَعَ الطَّلَاقُ لِسَاعَتِهِ.»

Allah the Almighty knows best.
Darul Ifta Al-Ikhlas, Karachi.