18/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1473b — Oath and Atonement
Expiation must be offered by one who declares his wife to be unlawful for him but does not intend divorce thereby
Oath and Atonement When a Wife Is Declared Unlawful
Sahih Muslim : 1473b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1473b
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بِشْرٍ الْحَرِيرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَلاَّمٍ - عَنْ يَحْيَى، بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ أَنَّ يَعْلَى بْنَ حَكِيمٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ إِذَا حَرَّمَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَيْهِ امْرَأَتَهُ فَهْىَ يَمِينٌ يُكَفِّرُهَا وَقَالَ { لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ}
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When a man declares his wife unlawful for himself that is an oath which must be atoned, and he said: There is in the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a noble pattern for you.
[2] Al-Ahzâb 33:21.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1473bIn-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 26USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3495
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1473b
This hadith reports Ibn Abbas saying that if a man declares his wife unlawful for himself, it is an oath that he must atone for. He then mentions the verse that there is in the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم a noble pattern. The wording is clear and limited. It is not a general discussion of every divorce phrase. It speaks about this specific statement of making one's wife unlawful and treats it as an oath with atonement. For people searching for wife haram oath atonement hadith, the main message is to be careful with serious words and to return to the Prophetic model. The hadith also shows that Ibn Abbas answered this matter with a short legal statement and a Qur'anic reminder.
What we learn from this hadith
- Declaring one's wife unlawful is described by Ibn Abbas as an oath.
- The oath must be atoned according to this narration.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is mentioned as the noble pattern to follow.
- The report teaches care with words used in marriage.
