Imam al-Rida (AS) said in a letter that he wrote to Muhammad Ibn Sinan outlining the reason for restricting the divorce to three times, ‘The reasoning behind the divorce being permissible three times is to do with the respite it gives [each party to think] between the first to the third time for in that time, a desire [for ones spouse may arise or ones rage may subside. Also, [it has been restricted to three in order to discipline and deter women from disobeying their husbands [time after time whereby she may have become deserving of separation and distancing for doing something to disobey her husband. The reason why a woman becomes unlawful for a man after nine counts of divorce, where he is absolutely not allowed a woman and is punishable for it, is in order that people do not make a jest of divorce and so that women are not abased, and so that man may consider his situation carefully and vigilantly [before plunging into marriage and divorce, and that he may feel despair at ever coming back together with a woman after having divorced nine times.