Chapter on Zihar (declaring one's Wife Unlawful Like a mother)

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ مُمْلَكٍ ظَاهَرَ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَا يَكُونُ ظِهَارٌ وَ لَا يَكُونُ إِيلَاءٌ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ بِهَا[4].

I asked Abu Abdillah (peace be upon him) about a man who has only performed the marriage contract (mamluk, meaning he has not yet consummated the marriage) and then declares ẓihar (a pre-Islamic form of divorce where a husband likens his wife to a prohibited relative). Imam (as) said: "There is no ẓihar and no īla' (an

قَالَ ع‌ وَ لَا يَكُونُ الظِّهَارُ إِلَّا عَلَى مَوْضِعِ الطَّلَاقِ‌[1].

Hadith.4827 - And Imam (as) said: "Ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) does not apply except in the context where divorce is applicable."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الظِّهَارِ فَقَالَ هُوَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ أَوْ مِنْ أُمٍّ أَوْ أُخْتٍ أَوْ عَمَّةٍ أَوْ خَالَةٍ[2] وَ لَا يَكُونُ الظِّهَارُ فِي يَمِينٍ‌[3] فَقُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ قَالَ يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ لِامْرَأَتِهِ وَ هِيَ طَاهِرٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ جِمَاعٍ أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ حَرَامٌ مِثْلَ ظَهْرِ أُمِّي أَوْ أُخْتِي وَ هُوَ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ الظِّهَارَ[4].

I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison). Imam (as) said: "Ẓihar applies only when a man likens his wife to someone who is permanently unlawful for him, such as his mother, sister, paternal aunt, or maternal aunt. Ẓihar does not occur through an oath." I asked

"كَانَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَوْسُ بْنُ اَلصَّامِتِ وَ كَانَتْ تَحْتَهُ اِمْرَأَةٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا خَوْلَةُ بِنْتُ اَلْمُنْذِرِ فَقَالَ لَهَا ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي ثُمَّ نَدِمَ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ وَ قَالَ لَهَا أَيَّتُهَا اَلْمَرْأَةُ مَا أَظُنُّكِ إِلاَّ وَ قَدْ حَرُمْتِ عَلَيَّ فَجَاءَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ

"During the time of the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family), there was a man named Aws ibn Al-Samit who was married to a woman named Khawlah bint Tha'labah. One day, he said to her: 'You are to me as the back of my mother.' He immediately regretted his words and said to her: 'O woman, I think yo

وَ رُوِيَ: "أَنَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى اَلْإِطْعَامِ تَصَدَّقَ بِمَا يُطِيقُ".

Hadith.4830 - It is narrated: "If he is unable to provide the required feeding (it'ām), he should give charity (ṣadaqah) according to what he is capable of."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ ظَاهَرَ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَهَا تَطْلِيقَةً قَالَ إِذَا هُوَ طَلَّقَهَا تَطْلِيقَةً فَقَدْ بَطَلَ الظِّهَارُ وَ هَدَمَ الطَّلَاقُ الظِّهَارَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَلَهُ أَنْ يُرَاجِعَهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ هِيَ امْرَأَتُهُ فَإِنْ رَاجَعَهَا وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمُظَاهِرِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَتَمَاسَّا[2] قُلْتُ فَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا حَتَّى يَحِلَّ أَجَلُهَا وَ تَمْلِكَ نَفْس

I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a man who declared ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his wife and then divorced her with one divorce. Imam (as) said: "If he divorces her with one divorce, the ẓihar becomes nullified, and the divorce cancels the ẓihar." I asked: "Can he take he

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُظَاهِرُ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ قَالَ فَيُكَفِّرُ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُ وَاقَعَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ قَالَ فَقَدْ أَتَى حَدّاً مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ وَ لْيَكُفَّ حَتَّى يُكَفِّرَ[3].

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who performs ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his wife. Imam (as) said: "He must offer expiation." I asked: "What if he engages in intercourse with her before offering expiation?" Imam (as) replied: "Then he has violated one of Allah's (swt) limits. He must seek Alla

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ ظَاهَرَ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَقَالَ يُكَفِّرُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ قُلْتُ إِنْ وَاقَعَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ قَالَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَ يُمْسِكُ حَتَّى يُكَفِّرَ[2].

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who declared ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his wife three times. Imam (as) said: "He must offer expiation three times." I asked: "What if he engages in intercourse with her before offering the expiation?" Imam (as) replied: "He must seek Allah's (swt) forgiveness

قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع مَكَانَ كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ كَفَّارَةٌ[3].

Hadith.4834 - Muhammad ibn Muslim asked Imam (as) about a man who declared ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his wife five times or more. Imam (as) replied: "Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: 'For every instance, there is a separate expiation.'"

إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَ امْرَأَتَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ طَلَّقَهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهَا أَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ فَقَالَ لَا سَقَطَتِ الْكَفَّارَةُ عَنْهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ صَامَ فَمَرِضَ فَأَفْطَرَ أَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ أَوْ يُتِمُّ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ إِنْ صَامَ شَهْراً ثُمَّ مَرِضَ اسْتَقْبَلَ فَإِنْ زَادَ عَلَى الشَّهْرِ يَوْماً أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ‌ بَنَى عَلَيْهِ‌[1] قَالَ وَ قَالَ الْحُرُّ وَ الْمَمْلُوكُ سَوَاءٌ غَ

Hadith.4835 - Jamil ibn Darraj asked Imam (as) about ẓihar and when the obligation of expiation becomes due upon the one who declares it. Imam (as) replied: "When he intends to have intercourse with his wife." I asked: "If he divorces her before having intercourse with her, is expiation still required of him?" Imam (as

قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنْ ظَاهَرَ رَجُلٌ فِي شَعْبَانَ وَ لَمْ يَجِدْ مَا يُعْتِقُ قَالَ يَنْتَظِرُ حَتَّى يَصُومَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ يَصُومُ‌ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتابِعَيْنِ‌ فَإِنْ ظَاهَرَ وَ هُوَ مُسَافِرٌ يَنْظُرُ حَتَّى يَقْدَمَ وَ إِنْ صَامَ فَأَصَابَ مَالًا فَلْيَمْضِ فِي الَّذِي ابْتَدَأَ فِيهِ‌[3].

I asked Imam (as): "If a man performs ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) in the month of Sha'ban and cannot find something to free (as expiation), what should he do?" He (as) replied: "He should wait until he fasts the month of Ramadan and then fast two consecutive months afterward. If he performs ẓihar while he i

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ظَاهَرْتُ مِنِ امْرَأَتِي فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَأَعْتِقْ رَقَبَةً فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَصُمْ‌ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتابِعَيْنِ‌ فَقَالَ لَا أَقْوَى فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَأَطْعِمْ‌ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِيناً قَالَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنَا أَتَصَدَّقُ عَنْكَ قَالَ فَأَعْطَاهُ تَمْراً لِإِطْعَامِ سِتِّ

I heard Abu Abdullah (as) say: "A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (swt), I have performed ẓihar (declared my wife as unlawful to me).' The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Go and free a slave.' The man replied: 'I do not have one.' The Prophet

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ‌ ع إِنِّي قُلْتُ لِامْرَأَتِي أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي إِنْ خَرَجْتِ مِنْ بَابِ الْحُجْرَةِ فَخَرَجَتْ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أَقْوَى عَلَى أَنْ أُكَفِّرَ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أَقْوَى عَلَى أَنْ أُكَفِّرَ رَقَبَةً وَ رَقَبَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ قَوِيتَ أَوْ لَمْ تَقْوَ[1].

Hadith.4838 - In the narration of Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, a man said: I said to Abu Al-Hasan (as), "I told my wife, 'You are to me as the back of my mother if you leave the room,' and she left." Imam (as) replied: "There is nothing upon you." I said: "But I am capable of offering expiation." Imam (as) replied: "Th

فِي رِوَايَةِ السَّكُونِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌ فِي رَجُلٍ آلَى مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ وَ ظَاهَرَ فِي كَلِمَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ قَالَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ[2].

Hadith.4839 - In the narration of Al-Sakuni, he said that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) was asked about a man who both swore an oath (ilaʾ) and declared ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his wife in a single statement. Imam (as) said: "He is obligated to offer only one expiation."

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع رَجُلٌ قَالَ لِأَمَتِهِ أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُرْضِيَ بِذَلِكَ امْرَأَتَهُ قَالَ يَأْتِيهَا وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا وَ لَا عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ[3].

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who said to his female slave, "You are to me as the back of my mother," intending by this statement to please his wife. Imam (as) replied: "He may approach her (the slave), and there is nothing upon her or upon him."

الْمُظَاهِرُ إِذَا صَامَ شَهْراً وَ صَامَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الْآخَرِ يَوْماً فَقَدْ وَاصَلَ فَإِنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَقْضِ مُتَفَرِّقاً[4] وَ إِنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُعْطِ لِكُلِّ يَوْمٍ مُدّاً مِنْ طَعَامٍ‌[5].

"If a man who has performed ẓihar fasts for one full month and then fasts a day from the second month, he has fulfilled the condition of consecutive fasting. After that, if he wishes, he may make up the remaining fasts in a non-consecutive manner, or if he wishes, he may give a mudd (a specific measure) of food for eac

لِامْرَأَتِهِ أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ- فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع يُطِيقُ لِكُلِّ مَرَّةٍ عِتْقَ نَسَمَةٍ فَقَالَ لَا قَالَ يُطِيقُ إِطْعَامَ‌ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِيناً مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَيُطِيقُ صِيَامَ‌ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتابِعَيْنِ‌ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ قَالَ لَا قَالَ يُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا[2].

Hadith.4842 - Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Abu al-Ward that Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) was asked, while I was present, about a man who said to his wife, "You are to me like the back of my mother" a hundred times. Abu Jafar Imam Al-Baqir (as) said: "Is he able to free a slave for each time?" The

قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌ فِي رَجُلٍ ظَاهَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعِ نِسْوَةٍ قَالَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ[3].

Hadith.4843 - In the narration of Ibn Faddal from Ghiyath, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) (peace be upon them), it is reported that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said regarding a man who performed ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against four wives:

لَا يَقَعُ ظِهَارٌ عَنْ طَلَاقٍ وَ لَا طَلَاقٌ عَنْ ظِهَارٍ[4]

لَا يَكُونُ ظِهَارٌ فِي يَمِينٍ وَ لَا فِي إِضْرَارٍ وَ لَا فِي غَضَبٍ وَ لَا يَكُونُ ظِهَارٌ إِلَّا عَلَى طُهْرٍ بِغَيْرِ جِمَاعٍ بِشَهَادَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ مُسْلِمَيْنِ‌[5].

"Ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) does not occur through an oath, nor in a case of harm, nor in a state of anger. Ẓihar is only valid when it is declared during a state of purity (from menstruation), without prior intercourse, and in the presence of two Muslim witnesses."

الَّذِي يُرِيدُ بِهِ الرَّجُلُ الظِّهَارَ بِعَيْنِهِ‌[1].

Hadith.4846 - Ammar ibn Musa Al-Sabati asked Abu Abdullah (as) about the obligatory ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison). Imam (as) replied: "It is when a man explicitly intends by his statement to perform ẓihar itself."

فِي رِوَايَةِ السَّكُونِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ إِذَا قَالَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ زَوْجِي عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي فَلَا كَفَّارَةَ عَلَيْهَا[2].

Hadith.4847 - In the narration of Al-Sakuni, it is reported that Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "If a woman says, 'My husband is to me as the back of my mother,' there is no expiation upon her."

الْحُرَّةُ وَ الْأَمَةُ فِي هَذَا سَوَاءٌ[3].

Hadith.4848 - Ishaq ibn Ammar asked Abu Ibrahim (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as)) about a man who performs ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison) against his female slave. Imam (as) replied: "In this matter, a free woman and a bondwoman are the same."

عَلَيْهِ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْحُرِّ مِنْ صَوْمِ شَهْرٍ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ وَ لَا عِتْقٍ.

Hadith.4849 - Muhammad ibn Humran asked Abu Abdullah (as) about whether a slave is obligated to perform ẓihar (a form of divorce by comparison). Imam (as) replied: "He is required to fulfill half of what is required of a free man, which is fasting for one month. However, he is not obligated to offer expiation through c

فِي رِوَايَةِ السَّكُونِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌ أُمُّ الْوَلَدِ تُجْزِي فِي الظِّهَارِ[4].

Hadith.4850 - In the narration of Al-Sakuni, it is reported that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "The umm al-walad (woman who has borne her master's child) is included in the ruling of ẓihar."