The ruling on one who pronounces zihar against his wife while ignorant of the ruling on zihar
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Question:
A listener sent a message and preferred not to mention his name. He says in one of his questions: On a certain day, I uttered the phrase of zihar, and I did not intend to separate from my wife. I did not know the difference between zihar and divorce. Then I did what the two who swore oaths did, so I fed ten poor people. Is this sufficient, or does the punishment for zihar apply to me? Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If you pronounced zihar against your wife by saying, “My wife is to me like the back of my mother,” or “like the back of my sister,” this is zihar. Feeding ten poor people is not sufficient. It is obligatory to free a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, then fast for two consecutive months. If you are unable to do that, then feed sixty poor people before you touch her; for each poor person, half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), which means thirty sa' in total.
We advise you to consult the scholars in your country, the judge or other scholars known for their knowledge. Ask them about what happened to you and clarify the reality to them. If you pronounced zihar against your wife, meaning you said to her, “You are forbidden to me like your mother,” or “like your sister,” or “you are like the back of your mother,” or “your sister,” or something similar, then its expiation is as Allah explained in the Qur'an in the chapter that was heard, Surat al-Mujadilah. Its expiation is ordered: first, freeing a believing slave if a person is able to do so. If he is unable, he fasts for two consecutive months, sixty days. If he is unable, he feeds sixty poor people, thirty sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), with each poor person receiving half a sa' of the local staple food, the amount of which is approximately one and a half kilograms, before he touches the woman. And he must repent from that. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A listener sent a message and preferred not to mention his name. He says in one of his questions: On a certain day, I uttered the phrase of zihar, and I did not intend to separate from my wife. I did not know the difference between zihar and divorce. Then I did what the two who swore oaths did, so I fed ten poor people. Is this sufficient, or does the punishment for zihar apply to me? Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If you pronounced zihar against your wife by saying, “My wife is to me like the back of my mother,” or “like the back of my sister,” this is zihar. Feeding ten poor people is not sufficient. It is obligatory to free a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, then fast for two consecutive months. If you are unable to do that, then feed sixty poor people before you touch her; for each poor person, half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), which means thirty sa' in total.
We advise you to consult the scholars in your country, the judge or other scholars known for their knowledge. Ask them about what happened to you and clarify the reality to them. If you pronounced zihar against your wife, meaning you said to her, “You are forbidden to me like your mother,” or “like your sister,” or “you are like the back of your mother,” or “your sister,” or something similar, then its expiation is as Allah explained in the Qur'an in the chapter that was heard, Surat al-Mujadilah. Its expiation is ordered: first, freeing a believing slave if a person is able to do so. If he is unable, he fasts for two consecutive months, sixty days. If he is unable, he feeds sixty poor people, thirty sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), with each poor person receiving half a sa' of the local staple food, the amount of which is approximately one and a half kilograms, before he touches the woman. And he must repent from that. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.