The earlier example concerns a free wife. The historical case of an enslaved wife1 has a different full number in this Hanafi discussion.
• Free wife: the full number is 3. An intention of 2 does not work through the wording discussed.
• Enslaved wife: the full number is 2. If the husband intends 2 through طَلِّقِي, that intention is valid, because 2 is the whole number in her case.
The complete number is treated as one whole, also called a notional single instance2. This does not grant a fresh exercise of authority after the first has been used.
1. Enslaved wife: the historical legal status meant by the term “bandi” in this example; it does not mean a domestic employee.
2. Notional single instance: a complete collection treated together as one whole in the explanation.
- The Full Number Depends on the Case