The fatwa was given by Darul-Ifta, the fatwa department of leading Sunni Islamic seminary Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband, in reply to a query by a man.

The man in his query had asked that in case no witness was present when he utters talaq thrice to his wife over phone whether it would be considered valid or not.

"I angrily said talaq three times to my wife on cell phone but she claimed she didn't hear it even once and nobody was around both of us. Please tell me whether talaq has taken place," he asked.

In its reply, Dar-ul-Ifta said, "If you have given three talaqs to your wife, all the three took place and she became haraam (forbidden) for you."

The fatwa said the woman will be free to marry anyone she likes after her iddat (three month period after divorce) is over.

"It is not necessary that the wife has to hear it when the talaq is taking place or whether there are witnesses present," it ruled.

In October, the seminary had ruled that saying talaq three times even on a humorous note is valid as per the Sharia (Islamic Law) and the marriage stands nullified.

A youth in his query had stated that while chatting with his wife over net he had jokingly punched talaq thrice.

Claiming to have less knowledge about Islam, the youth said he didn't know how talaq is executed.

The youth had stated that he was happily living with his wife and wanted to live with her in future as well.

Darul-Ifta in its reply had said once talaq is put out three times it amounts to divorce and his wife was “haraam” for him.

The fatwa section in its reply stated that in the process it does not matter whether the man had enough knowledge of Islam or not.

Under such circumstances the youth was neither allowed to take his wife nor to marry her again, it stated, adding now she would be required to go through nikah "halalah".

As per the ruling, the woman would be required to complete the iddat period after which she would be required to marry another man.

The woman would be then required to divorce her second husband and go through the iddat period again.

"Then only can the woman be allowed to re-marry her former husband," it stated.

"When you gave three talaqs, all the three took place. It does not matter if the woman gives talaq or not. Your wife became haraam for you whether you are aware of the commandments of Islam more or less," the fatwa read.

"Neither you have the right to take her back nor solemnise new nikah without a valid nikah halalah. After the completion of the iddat period, the woman can marry where she wishes except you," it said, citing references from the books such as Bukhari and Fatawa al-Hindiyah etc.