Issue: If a husband says to his wife, in a tone of affection and endearment, "You are like my mother," is this considered zihar?

The Shaykh : Well, if he says to her, in a tone of affection and endearment, "You are like my mother," this is not zihar. This is because we have specified that in zihar, he must liken her to his mother in terms of prohibition. If it is merely a form of affection, it is not zihar. However, some scholars disliked a man addressing his wife with such a term, saying "O my mother" or "O my sister." But there is no basis for this dislike as long as the matter is known to be a figure of speech; in that case, there is nothing wrong with it.