18/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1473a — Declaring Wife Unlawful
Expiation must be offered by one who declares his wife to be unlawful for him but does not intend divorce thereby
Declaring Wife Unlawful as an Oath in Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 1473a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1473a
وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، - يَعْنِي الدَّسْتَوَائِيَّ - قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَىَّ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي الْحَرَامِ يَمِينٌ يُكَفِّرُهَا . وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ { لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ} .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported about (declaring of one's woman) unlawful as an oath which must be atoned, and Ibn 'Abbas said: Verily, there is in the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a model pattern for you.
[1] Al-Ahzâb 33:21.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1473aIn-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 25USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3494
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1473a
This narration reports the statement of Ibn Abbas about a man declaring his woman unlawful. He said it is an oath that must be atoned. He also quoted the verse that there is in the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم a good model for believers. The hadith is short and focused. It does not give a long legal breakdown in the text, so the explanation should stay with what Ibn Abbas said: such a declaration is treated as an oath and requires atonement. For readers searching for declaring wife unlawful hadith, the key lesson is that speech in family life has meaning, and a person should not use strong religious words lightly. The verse mentioned by Ibn Abbas points back to following the Prophetic model.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Abbas treated declaring one's woman unlawful as an oath.
- The narration says such an oath must be atoned.
- The verse mentioned points to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم as a good model.
- Strong words in marriage should not be spoken carelessly.
