Swearing and Taking an Oath

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ فِي الْإِيلَاءِ إِذَا آلَى الرَّجُلُ أَنْ لَا يَقْرَبَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَ لَا يَمَسَّهَا وَ لَا يَجْمَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَ رَأْسَهَا فَهُوَ فِي سَعَةٍ مَا لَمْ تَمْضِ الْأَرْبَعَةُ الْأَشْهُرِ فَإِذَا مَضَتْ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وُقِفَ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يَفِي‌ءَ فَيَمَسَّهَا وَ إِمَّا أَنْ يَعْزِمَ عَلَى الطَّلَاقِ فَيُخَلِّيَ عَنْهَا حَتَّى إِذَا حَاضَتْ وَ طَهُرَتْ مِنْ حَيْضِهَا طَلَّقَهَ

‘If a man swears not to go to bed with his wife, not to touch her and not to place his head next to her head, he then has the choice before passing of four months. When four months pass he then must be taken in custody to reach a settlement and go to bed with her, or decide to divorce, thus, he must leave her until she

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَهْجُرُ امْرَأَتَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ طَلَاقٍ وَ لَا يَمِينٍ سَنَةً لَمْ يَقْرَبْ فِرَاشَهَا قَالَ لِيَأْتِ أَهْلَهُ وَ قَالَ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ آلَى مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ وَ الْإِيلَاءُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ لَا أُجَامِعُكِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ يَقُولَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَغِيضَنَّكِ [لَأَغِيظَنَّكِ‌] ثُمَّ يُغَاضِبَهَا فَإِنَّهُ يَتَرَبَّصُ بِهَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْخَذُ بَع

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who separates from his wife without divorce and swearing. He does not go near her bed for one year. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must go to his wife.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If one swears about his wife, it takes place by one’s saying, “No, by Allah, I will not

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا آلَى الرَّجُلُ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ وَ الْإِيلَاءُ أَنْ يَقُولَ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أُجَامِعُكِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ يَقُولَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَغِيضَنَّكِ [لَأَغِيظَنَّكِ‌] ثُمَّ يُغَاضِبَهَا ثُمَّ يَتَرَبَّصُ بِهَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ فَإِنْ فَاءَ وَ الْإِيفَاءُ أَنْ يُصَالِحَ أَهْلَهُ أَوْ يُطَلِّقَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَ لَا يَقَعُ بَيْنَهُمَا طَلَاقٌ حَتَّى يُوقَفَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ بَعْدَ ال

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘If one swears about his wife and it takes place by one’s saying, “By Allah, I will not have sexual intercourse with you so and so,” and says, “By Allah I must reduce you” and then become angry with her. He can wait for four months. After four months, he must be taken in cus

أَنَّهُمَا قَالا إِذَا آلَى الرَّجُلُ أَنْ لَا يَقْرَبَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَلَيْسَ لَهَا قَوْلٌ وَ لَا حَقٌّ فِي الْأَرْبَعَةِ الْأَشْهُرِ وَ لَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ فِي كَفِّهِ عَنْهَا فِي الْأَرْبَعَةِ الْأَشْهُرِ فَإِنْ مَضَتِ الْأَرْبَعَةُ الْأَشْهُرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمَسَّهَا فَسَكَتَتْ وَ رَضِيَتْ فَهُوَ فِي حِلٍّ وَ سَعَةٍ فَإِنْ رَفَعَتْ أَمْرَهَا قِيلَ لَهُ إِمَّا أَنْ تَفِي‌ءَ فَتَمَسَّهَا وَ إِمَّا أَنْ تُطَلِّقَ وَ عَ

“Abu Ja‘far, and abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, have said, ‘If a man swears not to go near his wife, then he has no say and no right for four months; and it is not a sin on him to stay away from her for four months. When four months pass if he agrees to touch her and she remains silent and agrees, then it is fine.

إِنَّ الْمُؤْلِيَ يُجْبَرُ عَلَى أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ تَطْلِيقَةً بَائِنَةً. - وَ عَنْ غَيْرِ مَنْصُورٍ أَنَّهُ يُطَلِّقُ تَطْلِيقَةً يَمْلِكُ الرَّجْعَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ إِنَّ هَذَا مُنْتَقِضٌ‌[2] فَقَالَ لَا الَّتِي تَشْكُو فَتَقُولُ يُجْبِرُنِي وَ يَضُرُّنِي وَ يَمْنَعُنِي مِنَ الزَّوْجِ‌[1] يُجْبَرُ عَلَى أَنْ يُطَلِّقَهَا تَطْلِيقَةً بَائِنَةً وَ الَّتِي تَسْكُتُ وَ لَا تَشْكُو إِنْ شَاءَ يُطَلِّقُهَا

“One who swears is made to divorce in the form of a final divorce which makes the spouses strangers to each other. People other than Mansur have narrated that he divorces once but has the right to go back to her; and certain persons of his people have said to him that this is deleted. He replied that it is true if she

أَتَى رَجُلٌ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ امْرَأَتِي أَرْضَعَتْ غُلَاماً وَ إِنِّي قُلْتُ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَقْرَبُكِ حَتَّى تَفْطِمِيهِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ فِي الْإِصْلَاحِ إِيلَاءٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man came to ’Amir al-Mu’minin and said, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, my wife breastfed a boy and I said, “By Allah, I will not go to bed with you until you wean him.’” He (the Imam) said, ‘ 7/a’ (swearing) does not take place in constructive and virtuous deeds.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ آلَى مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ بَعْدَ مَا دَخَلَ بِهَا فَقَالَ إِذَا مَضَتْ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وُقِفَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ بَعْدَ حِينٍ فَإِنْ فَاءَ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْ‌ءٍ وَ هِيَ امْرَأَتُهُ وَ إِنْ عَزَمَ الطَّلَاقَ فَقَدْ عَزَمَ وَ قَالَ الْإِيلَاءُ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لِامْرَأَتِهِ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَغِيضَنَّكِ [لَأَغِيظَنَّكِ‌] وَ لَأَسُوءَنَّكِ ثُمَّ يَهْجُرَهَا وَ لَا يُجَامِعَهَا حَتَّ

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who after going to bed with his wife swears not to go to bed with his wife. He (the Imam) said, ‘When four months pass he is taken in custody even after a while. If he expiates (finds a remedy), then it is fine and she is his wife. If he decides to divorce h

الْمُؤْلِي يُوقَفُ بَعْدَ الْأَرْبَعَةِ الْأَشْهُرِ فَإِنْ شَاءَ إِمْسَاكٌ‌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌ بِإِحْسانٍ‌ فَإِنْ عَزَمَ الطَّلَاقَ فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِرَجْعَتِهَا.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘One who swears not to go to bed with his wife is taken in custody after four months. He may keep her in a fair manner or leave her in the same way. If he decides to divorce it then is once and he has the right to go back to her.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْإِيلَاءِ مَا هُوَ فَقَالَ هُوَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لِامْرَأَتِهِ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أُجَامِعُكِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ يَقُولَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَغِيضَنَّكِ [لَأَغِيظَنَّكِ‌] فَيُتَرَبَّصَ بِهَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْخَذُ فَيُوقَفُ بَعْدَ الْأَرْبَعَةِ الْأَشْهُرِ فَإِنْ فَاءَ وَ هُوَ أَنْ يُصَالِحَ أَهْلَهُ‌ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ‌ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَفِئْ جُبِرَ عَلَى أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ وَ لَا يَقَ

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about 7/a’ (swearing) and what it is. He (the Imam) said, ‘It takes place when a man says to his wife, ‘By Allah, I will not go to bed with you so and so, and says, ‘By Allah I will reduce you and then waits for four months. Thereafter he is taken in custody, if he expiates and reco

فِي الْمُؤْلِي إِذَا أَبَى أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَجْعَلُ لَهُ حَظِيرَةً مِنْ قَصَبٍ وَ يَحْبِسُهُ فِيهَا وَ يَمْنَعُهُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَ الشَّرَابِ حَتَّى يُطَلِّقَ‌[1].

abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if he refuses to divorce ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, that an enclosure of reeds must be made for him and to keep him there without food and drink until he agrees to divorce.’”

فِي الْمُؤْلِي إِمَّا أَنْ يَفِي‌ءَ أَوْ يُطَلِّقَ فَإِنْ فَعَلَ وَ إِلَّا ضُرِبَتْ عُنُقُهُ.

“About the case of a man’s 7/a’ (swearing), abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He either expiates or divorces or is beheaded.’”

إِذَا غَاضَبَ الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ فَلَمْ يَقْرَبْهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ يَمِينٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ فَاسْتَعْدَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يَفِي‌ءَ وَ إِمَّا أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ فَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ مُغَاضَبَةٍ أَوْ يَمِينٍ فَلَيْسَ بِمُؤْلٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man angers his wife and does not go to bed with her without swearing for four months and she complains against him, he then must expiate or divorce her. If he leaves her without anger or swearing, then the rules of 7/a’ (swearing) do not apply.’”

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِذَا أَبَى الْمُؤْلِي أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ جَعَلَ لَهُ حَظِيرَةً مِنْ قَصَبٍ وَ أَعْطَاهُ رُبُعَ قُوتِهِ حَتَّى يُطَلِّقَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when a man because of 7/a’ (swearing) refused to divorce ’Amir al-Mu’minin placed him inside an enclosure and gave him one-fourth of his food and drink until he agreed to divorce.”