He said to his neighbor, “I swear by my daughters and my mother that I will not eat your food”
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Fatwa No. ( 3472 )
Q: I have a neighbor, and some dispute arose between us. I stood up and made a gesture, saying: “I swear by my daughters and my mother that I will not eat your food.” Then I regretted it, as the aforementioned person is my neighbor and there is friendship between us. I seek your ruling on my question, and what is obligatory upon me regarding this gesture?
A: If your intention in saying “I swear by my daughters and my mother” was to prohibit your wife from eating his food, then if she eats from his food, you owe the expiation for zihar. This is freeing a believing slave. If that is not feasible, you must fast for two consecutive months. If you are unable to do so, you must feed sixty poor people. You must perform the expiation before you touch your wife.
If your intention was to prohibit his food, then you owe the expiation for an oath, which becomes obligatory after eating from his food. This is feeding ten poor people. It is sufficient to give them five sa’ (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of wheat, dates, rice, or similar staple food of your people. Alternatively, you may clothe ten poor people or free a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, you must fast for three days, and it is better if they are consecutive. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a neighbor, and some dispute arose between us. I stood up and made a gesture, saying: “I swear by my daughters and my mother that I will not eat your food.” Then I regretted it, as the aforementioned person is my neighbor and there is friendship between us. I seek your ruling on my question, and what is obligatory upon me regarding this gesture?
A: If your intention in saying “I swear by my daughters and my mother” was to prohibit your wife from eating his food, then if she eats from his food, you owe the expiation for zihar. This is freeing a believing slave. If that is not feasible, you must fast for two consecutive months. If you are unable to do so, you must feed sixty poor people. You must perform the expiation before you touch your wife.
If your intention was to prohibit his food, then you owe the expiation for an oath, which becomes obligatory after eating from his food. This is feeding ten poor people. It is sufficient to give them five sa’ (a dry measure of about 3 kg) of wheat, dates, rice, or similar staple food of your people. Alternatively, you may clothe ten poor people or free a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, you must fast for three days, and it is better if they are consecutive. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.