Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man, who made Zhihār (pre-islamic form of divorce) against his wife yet had intercourse with her, went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I uttered Zhihār against my wife, then I had intercourse with her before atoning." He said: "What caused you to do that, may Allah have mercy upon you?" He said: "I saw her anklet in the moonlight." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then do not approach her (have intercourse with her) until you do what Allah has ordered you to do (the atonement for Zhihār)."
The Hadīth shows that this Companion was used to having intercourse with his wife so frequently. Being afraid that he would have sexual intercourse with her while fasting during Ramadan that had already started, he pronounced Zhihār against his wife. In other words, he likened her to a woman who is permanently prohibited for him to marry such as his mother, sister, aunt, etc. However, while she was serving him one night, he saw her anklet and was enticed into having intercourse with her, which he did. He later regretted this and went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asking about the ruling on what he did. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him not to touch his wife except after offering the expiation that Allah, the Exalted, has made obligatory for the one who made Zhihār against his wife. This Hadīth is a main reference on the issue of Zhihār.
Explanation in Arabic
أفاد هذا الحديث أن هذا الصحابي كان كثير الوقاع لامرأته، وقد دخل عليه رمضان وخشي أن يجامعها وهو صائم، فظاهر منها، أي شبهها بمن تحرم عليه تحريمًا مؤبدًا من أم وأخت وعمة ونحو ذلك، إلا أنها كانت تخدمه في ليلة من الليالي، فظهر له شيء من حُلِيِّها في ساقها فأعجبته فجامعها، فندم على فعله وجاء إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مستفتياً، فأمره النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ألا يقربها بالجماع مرة أخرى حتى يكفر الكفارة التي أوجبها الله عز وجل على المظاهر من امرأته، وهذا الحديث أصل في باب الظهار.
إذا ظاهر الزوج حرم عليه وطء الزوجة المظاهر منها، حتى يكفر عن ظهاره، وذلك بإجماع العلماء.
الحديث دليل على تحريم الظهار؛ للأمر بالكفارة في القرآن والسنة.
أن من ظاهر من امرأته فشبهها بظهر أمه في التحريم ثم أراد أن يجامعها فعليه أن يكفر عن ظهاره قبل الجماع لقوله في الحديث: فلا تقربها حتى تفعل ما أمرك الله.
أنه لا ينبغي للإنسان أن يستحيي من الحق كما هي عادة الصحابة -رضي الله عنهم-، وهم أقوى منا إيمانًا وحياءً.
أن من ظاهر ثم جامع قبل التكفير لا تلزمه كفارتان بل كفارة واحدة, مع ترتب الإثم؛ لأنه ارتكب محرمًا.
‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Praise be to Allah Whose hearing encompasses all voices. Khawlah came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) complaining about her husband, but I could not hear what she was saying. Then Allah, Glorified and Exalted…
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَسِعَ سَمْعُهُ الأَصْوَاتَ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ خَوْلَةُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَشْكُو زَوْجَهَا فَكَانَ يَخْفَى عَلَىَّ كَلاَمُهَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { قَدْ…
