Issue: If a man says to his wife, "You are to me like the back of your sister," is it the same as if he said, "You are to me like the back of my mother"?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : If a man says to his wife, "You are to me like the back of my sister," is it like saying, "You are to me like the back of my mother"? Yes, it is like saying, "You are to me like the back of my mother." If he says to her, "You are to me like the back of your mother," is it the same?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because her mother is forbidden to him permanently. If he says to her, "You are to me like the back of my sister," yes, we said this. If he says, "You are to me like the back of your sister"?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Yes, and no?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Well, some of you say no and some say yes, just as the scholars before us said. Some said this is zihar, and some said it is not zihar, because the back of her sister is not forbidden to him permanently. If he divorced this wife, her sister would become lawful to him. So, the prohibition of his wife's sister is not like the prohibition of his own sister. The difference between the two prohibitions is that one is permanent and the other is for a limited time. Therefore, it is not permissible for the wife's sister to uncover her face before her sister's husband, because she is not a mahram to him. It is not permissible for her to uncover herself in the presence of her sister's husband, just as it is not permissible for a wife to uncover herself in the presence of her husband's brother, because he is a stranger to her. And unfortunately, some people are lax in this matter. You will find the wife's sister uncovering her face before her sister's husband, and perhaps shaking his hand. You will find the husband's brother uncovering his face to his brother's wife, and perhaps shaking her hand. This is forbidden. It is not permissible for anyone to allow his wife to be in a situation where he is not present.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because her mother is forbidden to him permanently. If he says to her, "You are to me like the back of my sister," yes, we said this. If he says, "You are to me like the back of your sister"?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Yes, and no?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Well, some of you say no and some say yes, just as the scholars before us said. Some said this is zihar, and some said it is not zihar, because the back of her sister is not forbidden to him permanently. If he divorced this wife, her sister would become lawful to him. So, the prohibition of his wife's sister is not like the prohibition of his own sister. The difference between the two prohibitions is that one is permanent and the other is for a limited time. Therefore, it is not permissible for the wife's sister to uncover her face before her sister's husband, because she is not a mahram to him. It is not permissible for her to uncover herself in the presence of her sister's husband, just as it is not permissible for a wife to uncover herself in the presence of her husband's brother, because he is a stranger to her. And unfortunately, some people are lax in this matter. You will find the wife's sister uncovering her face before her sister's husband, and perhaps shaking his hand. You will find the husband's brother uncovering his face to his brother's wife, and perhaps shaking her hand. This is forbidden. It is not permissible for anyone to allow his wife to be in a situation where he is not present.