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26 / 04 / 2026
Expiation and the Formula of Zihar
If a husband says to his wife: You are forbidden to me like my mother and my sister, what is the ruling and the expiation, and does the ruling differ if he says: You are forbidden to me without mentioning my mother and my sister?
Answer
I say, and with God's help: The original ruling is that it is an oath absolutely, unless he intended to pronounce a declaration of divorce (zihar), in which case it would be considered zihar. He will be asked about his intention; if he intended zihar, then it is zihar, and he must perform the expiation for zihar by fasting for two consecutive months before they touch each other. If he is unable to do so, he should feed sixty needy people. And God knows best.
