Breaking the iddah of a divorce.
Q. What actions are considered to break idaah or a divorce? Is getting intimate with her without intercourse end the idaah?
A. A person can break the effects of divorce, and interrupt the continuity of the iddah of a revocable divorce, by revoking the divorce he has given, as long as he did not give three divorces, and his wife is still in her iddah of the revocable divorce.
This act of revoking the divorce can be done by statements or actions. It is sufficient for the husband to say that he has ‘called back his wife’ or ‘I have returned to you’ (that is, while speaking to his wife).
With respect to actions, he can have intercourse with her, or can kiss her, or touch her passionately (with desire), or can be intimate with her without having sexual relations. All these will be considered as breaking the iddah or divorce. This allowance is not given when a woman has been divorced with three divorces and is going through her iddah period.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan