She had been married to Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the dawn prayer and found Habiba bint Sahl at his door in the darkness before daybreak.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked her, "Who is this?"She replied, "I am Habiba bint Sahl, Messenger of Allah."He asked, "What is the matter?"She said, "Thabit bin Qays and I cannot remain together," referring to her husband.When her husband Thabit bin Qays arrived, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, "This is Habiba bint Sahl. She has said what Allah willed her to say."Habiba said, "Messenger of Allah, everything he gave me is still with me."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Thabit bin Qays, "Take it back from her."So he took it back from her, and she remained in her family's home.
أنها كانت تحت ثابت بن قيس بن شماس. وأن رسول الله ﷺ خرج إلى الصبح. فوجد حبيبة بنت سهل عند بابه في الغلس. فقال لها رسول الله ﷺ: من هذه؟ فقالت: أنا حبيبة بنت سهل يا رسول الله. قال: ما شأنك؟ قالت: لا أنا ولا ثابت بن قيس لزوجها، فلما جاء زوجها ثابت بن قيس، قال له رسول الله ﷺ: هذه حبيبة بنت سهل، قد ذكرت ما شاء الله أن تذكر. فقالت حبيبة: يا رسول الله كل ما أعطاني عندي. فقال رسول الله ﷺ لثابت بن قيس: خذ منها. فأخذ منها وجلست في بيت أهلها.
Malik reported it in his chapter on divorce (21), from Yahya bin Saeed, from Amra bint Abdul-Rahman, who informed him on the authority of Habiba bint Sahl Ansari, and she related it.Through Malik's route, it was also reported by Imam Ahmad (27444), Abu Dawud (2227), Nasai (4280), Ibn Majah (3462), Ibn Hibban (3462), Ibn Jarud (749), and others. Its chain of transmission is sahih.Regarding the statement, "She sat in the house of her family," this is evidence that a woman who obtains a khula divorce has no right to lodging from her husband.