Book 38: Return to Conjugal Union (Raj'ah) | Minhaj al-Talibin of Nawawi
Title of book: Minhaj al-Talibin wa Umdat al-Muftin (منهاج الطالبين وعمدة المفتين في الفقه)
Author: Imam Nawawi
Full name: Imam Muhyiddin Abi Zakariyya Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (أبو زكريا يحيى بن شرف بن مُرِّيِّ بن حسن بن حسين بن محمد جمعة بن حِزام الحزامي النووي الشافعي)
Born: Muharram 631 AH/ October 1233 Nawa, Ayyubid Sultanate
Died: 24 Rajab 676 AH [9]/ 21 December 1277 (age 45) Nawa, Mamluk Sultanate
Resting place: Nawa, present Syria
Translated into English by: E. C. HOWARD
Field of study: sharia, Islamic law, fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence of Shafi'i's school of thought
Type of literature: classical Arabic
Contents
- Book 38: Return to Conjugal Union (Raj'ah)
- Book 39: Oath of Continency (Ila)
- Book 40: Injurious Comparison (Dhihar)
- Book 41: Expiation, with regard to Injurious Comparison (Kafara)
- Book 42: Imprecation (Lian)
- Book 43: Period of Legal Retirement (Iddah)
- Book 44: Period of Waiting of a Slave (Istibra)
- Return to: Minhaj al-Talibin of Imam Nawawi
النِّكَاحُ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَلَوْ طَلَّقَ فَجُنَّ فَلِلْوَلِيِّ الرَّجْعَةُ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ حَيْثُ لَهُ ابْتِدَاءُ النِّكَاحِ.
وَتَحْصُلُ بِرَاجَعْتُك وَرَجَعْتُك وَارْتَجَعْتُك، وَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّ الرَّدَّ وَالْإِمْسَاكَ صَرِيحَانِ، وَأَنَّ التَّزْوِيجَ وَالنِّكَاحَ كِنَايَتَانِ، وَلْيَقُلْ رَدَدْتهَا إلَيَّ أَوْ إلَى نِكَاحِي وَالْجَدِيدُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُشْتَرَطُ الْإِشْهَادُ فَتَصِحُّ بِكِنَايَةٍ وَلَا تَقْبَلُ تَعْلِيقًا، وَلَا تَحْصُلُ بِفِعْلٍ كَوَطْءٍ وَتَخْتَصُّ الرَّجْعَةُ بِمَوْطُوءَةٍ طَلُقَتْ بِلَا عِوَضٍ لَمْ يُسْتَوْفَ عَدَدُ طَلَاقِهَا، بَاقِيَةٌ فِي الْعِدَّةِ، مَحِلٍّ لِحِلٍّ، لَا مُرْتَدَّةٍ وَإِذَا ادَّعَتْ انْقِضَاءَ عِدَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ وَأَنْكَرَ صُدِّقَ بِيَمِينِهِ أَوْ وَضْعَ حَمْلٍ لِمُدَّةِ إمْكَانِ وَهِيَ مِمَّنْ تَحِيضُ لَا آيِسَةٌ فَالْأَصَحُّ تَصْدِيقُهَا بِيَمِينٍ وَإِنْ ادَّعَتْ وِلَادَةَ تَامٍّ فَإِمْكَانُهُ سِتَّةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَلَحْظَتَانِ مِنْ وَقْتِ النِّكَاحِ، أَوْ سِقْطٍ مُصَوَّرٍ فَمِائَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ يَوْمًا وَلَحْظَتَانِ أَوْ مُضْغَةٍ بِلَا صُورَةٍ فَثَمَانُونَ يَوْمًا وَلَحْظَتَانِ أَوْ انْقِضَاءَ أَقْرَاءٍ، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ، حُرَّةً وَطَلُقَتْ فِي طُهْرٍ فَأَقَلُّ الْإِمْكَانَ اثْنَانِ وَثَلَاثُونَ يَوْمًا وَلَحْظَتَانِ أَوْ فِي حَيْضٍ فَسَبْعَةٌ وَأَرْبَعُونَ وَلَحْظَةٌ، أَوْ أَمَةً وَطَلُقَتْ فِي طُهْرٍ فَسِتَّةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا وَلَحْظَتَانِ أَوْ فِي حَيْضٍ فَأَحَدٌ وَثَلَاثُونَ وَلَحْظَةٌ وَتُصَدَّقُ إنْ لَمْ تُخَالِفْ عَادَةً دَائِرَةٌ، وَكَذَا إنْ خَالَفَتْ فِي الْأَصَحِّ.
وَلَوْ وَطِئَ رَجْعِيَّتَهُ وَاسْتَأْنَفَتْ الْأَقْرَاءَ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْوَطْءِ رَاجَعَ فِيمَا كَانَ بَقِيَ وَيَحْرُمُ الِاسْتِمْتَاعُ بِهَا، فَإِنْ وَطِئَ فَلَا حَدَّ، وَلَا يُعَزَّرُ إلَّا مُعْتَقِدُ تَحْرِيمِهِ، وَيَجِبُ مَهْرُ مِثْلٍ إنْ لَمْ يُرَاجِعْ، وَكَذَا إنْ رَاجَعَ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ وَيَصِحُّ إيلَاءٌ وَظِهَارٌ وَطَلَاقٌ وَلِعَانٌ وَيَتَوَارَثَانِ وَإِذَا ادَّعَى وَالْعِدَّةُ مُنْقَضِيَةٌ رَجْعَةً فِيهَا فَأَنْكَرَتْ، فَإِنْ اتَّفَقَا عَلَى وَقْتِ الِانْقِضَاءِ كَيَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَقَالَ رَاجَعْت يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، فَقَالَتْ بَلْ السَّبْتِ صُدِّقَتْ بِيَمِينِهَا أَوْ عَلَى وَقْتِ الرَّجْعَةِ كَيَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَقَالَتْ: انْقَضَتْ الْخَمِيسَ، وَقَالَ السَّبْتَ صُدِّقَ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَإِنْ تَنَازَعَا فِي السَّبْقِ بِلَا اتِّفَاقٍ فَالْأَصَحُّ تَرْجِيحُ سَبْقِ الدَّعْوَى، فَإِنْ ادَّعَتْ الِانْقِضَاءَ ثُمَّ ادَّعَى رَجْعَةً قَبْلَهُ صُدِّقَتْ بِيَمِينِهَا أَوْ ادَّعَاهَا قَبْلَ انْقِضَاءٍ فَقَالَتْ بَعْدَهُ صُدِّقَ قُلْت فَإِنْ ادَّعَيَا مَعًا صُدِّقَتْ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ وَمَتَى ادَّعَاهَا وَالْعِدَّةُ بَاقِيَةٌ صُدِّقَ، وَمَتَى أَنْكَرَتْهَا وَصُدِّقَتْ ثُمَّ اعْتَرَفَتْ قَبْلَ اعْتِرَافِهَا وَإِذَا طَلَّقَ دُونَ ثَلَاثٍ وَقَالَ وَطِئْت فَلِي رَجْعَةٌ وَأَنْكَرَتْ صُدِّقَ بِيَمِينٍ وَهُوَ مُقِرٌّ لَهَا بِالْمَهْرِ، فَإِنْ قَبَضَتْهُ فَلَا رُجُوعَ لَهُ وَإِلَّا فَلَا تُطَالِبُهُ إلَّا بِنِصْفٍ
A husband who has repudiated his Avife in a revocable manner has a
right to take her back so long as she is still in her period of legal retire-
ment ; that is to say, he may retract his Avords and take his Avife back
again, without for this purpose effecting a hoav marriage, provided only
that in the mean time the marriage has not become illicit for any other
reason. ffWhen a husband, after pronouncing a revocable repudia-
tion, goes mad, it is for his curator to exercise the right of revocation,
Avhenever he would have been permitted to contract a neAV marriage
for the person legally incapable confided to his care.
A return to conjugal union is accomplished by the Avords, “ I take
you back,” “ I return to you,” “ I bring you back,” fand even the Avords
“ render ” and “ retain ” are admitted as explicit in this sense. fOn
the other hand, the expressions “give in marriage” and “marry” are
implicit terms. HoAvever, in using the Avord “ render ” one should
add “ to me ” or “ to marriage Avith me,” othenvise this verb is not
sufficient. Moreover, in his second period Shafii rejected the doctrine
that a return to conjugal union must be effected in the presence of
Avitnesses ; and though the revocation may be enunciated in implicit
terms, the kw does not permit it to be made dependent upon any
condition. A return to conjugal union cannot be effected tacitly,
e.g. by coition ; but one must declare that one takes one’s wife
back.
A right to return of conjugal union exists only —
. If a Avoman has really cohabited Avith her husband.
. If the repudiation was not pronounced for a compensation.
. If the repudiation is not the third.
. If the period of legal retirement is not yet expired.
. If cohabitation betAveen the parties has not become prohibited
for some other reason.
. If the Avife has not in tho mean time abjured Islam.
Where the Avoman pleads that her period of legal retirement is
already expired, the folloAving cases must bo distinguished : —
. Where tho period is calculated by months, and the husband
denies that the period is expired, the presumption is in his favour, if
he takes an oath.
. fWhere she claims that the period has expired by reason of an
accouchement, and it is proved that she has menstrues and lias not
yet passed the age of child bearing, the presumption is in her favour,
if she takes an oath, provided the accouchement lias taken place within
an admissible time. The shortest duration of a normal pregnancy is
six months and two instants from the marriage ; but if the pregnancy
terminates by an abortion, it is one hundred and twenty days and two
instants in a case where the foetus already has a human form, and
eighty days and two instants if the foetus consists merely of a piece
of shapeless flesh.
. Where she pleads expiry of her period of legal retirement, on the
ground that the three periods of purity required are passed, she has a
presumption in her favour provided she takes an oath, and provided
also that : —
(a) A free woman, repudiated during one of her periods of purity
does not allege for the threo periods together a shorter time than thirty-
two days and two instants ; nor, if repudiated during her menstrues,
a shorter time than forty-seven days and one hist ant.
(b) A slave, repudiated in these circumstances, does not allege
shorter times than sixteen days and two instants, or thirty-one days
and one instant, respectively.
These rules must be observed both in a case where the alleged
expiration is in conformity with a person’s ordinary periods, and also
where that person usually has shorter or longer periods.
Coition between a husband and wife revocably repudiated does not
operate in prolonging the period of return to conjugal union ; though
the woman must begin a new period of legal retirement from the dato
of that illicit act. For carnal intercourse with the wife is prohibited
during her period of legal retirement ; though if the husband has
intercourse with her in contravention of this rule, neither the punish-
ment for the crime of fornication, nor any arbitrary punishment, is
incurred ; unless the misdeed is committed with full knowledge of this.
In all cases, however, such cohabitation involves payment of proportional
dower, if a return to conjugal union does not ensue ; or even, according
to our school, if it does.
A repudiation that admits of a return to conjugal union does not
prevent a husband pronouncing an oath of continence, an injurious
comparison, a new repudiation or an anathema, so long as the time of
reconciliation has not expired. The right of succession of either party
remains intact during this period.
Tliu law also recognises the following presumptions, provided that
the party in whose favour they are established confirms on oath the truth
of his words : —
. In favour of the wife ; if the husband alleges having insisted
upon a return to conjugal union before the expiry of the term, though
admitting that the period of legal retirement had expired before the
time of the proceedings, while the woman denies that the husband
exercised his right in time. The parties it is supposed are in agreement
as to the date of expiry; for example, if they agree that the period
expired on Friday, but the husband alleges that there was a return to
conjugal union on Thursday, while the wife says it was not till Saturday.
. In favour of the husband ; if, in these circumstances, the parties
agree as to the day upon which a return to conjugal union was demanded,
but not as to the day of expiry of the period of legal retirement; for
example, if they agree that the husband demanded a return to conjugal
union on Friday, alleging that the period expired on Saturday, while
the wife says it expired on Thursday.
. jin favour of the party whose assertion is impugned by an excep-
tion ; in a case where the husband maintains the priority of his demand,
and the wife that of the expiry of her period of legal retirement, without
either giving the exact date. There is a presumption in favour of the
wife if she maintains that the time is expired, and the husband pleads
in bar that he had already demanded a return to conjugal union ; and
a presumption in favour of the husband if ho maintains that he de-
manded a return to conjugal union before expiry of the period of legal
retirement, and the wife pleads the illegality of the return, as it was
only afterwards that the husband demanded it.
[If the parties are simultaneously cited to the court, so that it is
not known which is the defendant, it is the wife who has the presumption
in her favour upon taking oath.]
. In favour of the husband, if he claims to have demanded a return
to conjugal union, and the period of legal retirement is not yet expired
at time of the hearing. Moreover, in all cases where the law admits
a presumption in favour of the wife, she may retract it.
. In favour of the wife, if the husband, after repudiating her once
or twice claims to have had commerce with her during the marriage,
and to be able in consequence to use his right of return to conjugal
union, while the wife denies the coition, and consequently the right
of return. Under these circumstances the husband has implicitly
admitted that dower is due in virtue of coition, and if the wife has already
taken possession of this dower, he caimot reclaim any part of it on the
ground of the woman’s denial of coition. On the other hand, if she
has not taken possession, the wife can claim only half the dower.
كتاب الْإِيلَاءِ
يَصِحُّ طَلَاقُهُ لِيَمْتَنِعَنَّ مِنْ وَطْئِهَا مُطْلَقًا أَوْ فَوْقَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ وَالْجَدِيدُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَخْتَصُّ بِالْحَلِفِ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَصِفَاتِهِ، بَلْ لَوْ عَلَّقَ بِهِ طَلَاقًا أَوْ عِتْقًا أَوْ قَالَ: إنْ وَطِئْتُك فَلِلَّهِ عَلَيَّ صَلَاةٌ أَوْ صَوْمٌ أَوْ حَجٌّ أَوْ عِتْقٌ كَانَ مُولِيًا، وَلَوْ حَلَفَ أَجْنَبِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ فَيَمِينٌ مَحْضَةٌ، فَإِنْ نَكَحَهَا فَلَا إيلَاءَ وَلَوْ آلَى مِنْ رَتْقَاءَ، أَوْ قَرْنَاءَ، أَوْ آلَى مَجْبُوبٌ لَمْ يَصِحَّ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ.
وَلَوْ قَالَ: وَاَللَّهِ لَا وَطِئْتُك أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ فَإِذَا مَضَتْ فَوَاَللَّهِ لَا وَطِئْتُك أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَهَكَذَا مِرَارًا فَلَيْسَ بِمُولٍ فِي الْأَصَحِّ وَلَوْ قَالَ: وَاَللَّهِ لَا وَطِئْتُك خَمْسَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، فَإِذَا مَضَتْ فَوَاَللَّهِ لَا وَطِئْتُك سَنَةً فَإِيلَاءَانِ لِكُلٍّ حُكْمُهُ وَلَوْ قَيَّدَ بِمُسْتَبْعَدِ الْحُصُولِ فِي الْأَرْبَعَةِ كَنُزُولِ عِيسَى صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَمُولٍ، وَإِنْ ظَنَّ حُصُولَهُ قَبْلَهَا فَلَا.
وَكَذَا لَوْ شَكَّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ وَلَفْظُهُ صَرِيحٌ وَكِنَايَةٌ، فَمِنْ صَرِيحِهِ تَغْيِيبُ ذَكَرٍ بِفَرْجٍ وَوَطْءٌ وَجِمَاعٌ وَافْتِضَاضُ بِكْرٍ، وَالْجَدِيدُ أَنَّ مُلَامَسَةً وَمُبَاضَعَةً وَمُبَاشَرَةً وَإِتْيَانًا وَغَشْيَانًا وَقِرْبَانًا وَنَحْوِهَا كِنَايَاتٌ وَلَوْ قَالَ إنْ وَطِئْتُك فَعَبْدِي حُرٌّ فَزَالَ مِلْكُهُ عَنْهُ زَالَ الْإِيلَاءُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ فَعَبْدِي حُرٌّ عَنْ ظِهَارِي وَكَانَ ظَاهَرَ فَمُولٍ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا ظِهَارَ وَلَا إيلَاءَ بَاطِنًا، وَيُحْكَمُ بِهِمَا ظَاهِرًا.
وَلَوْ قَالَ عَنْ ظِهَارِي إنْ ظَاهَرْت فَلَيْسَ بِمُولٍ حَتَّى يُظَاهِرَ، أَوْ إنْ وَطِئْتُك فَضَرَّتُك طَالِقٌ فَمُولٍ، فَإِنْ وَطِئَ طَلُقَتْ الضَّرَّةُ وَزَالَ الْإِيلَاءُ، وَالْأَظْهَرُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ قَالَ لِأَرْبَعٍ: وَاَللَّهِ لَا أُجَامِعُكُنَّ فَلَيْسَ بِمُولٍ فِي الْحَالِ فَإِنْ جَامَعَ ثَلَاثًا فَمُولٍ مِنْ الرَّابِعَةِ، فَلَوْ مَاتَ بَعْضُهُنَّ قَبْلَ وَطْءٍ زَالَ الْإِيلَاءُ.
وَلَوْ قَالَ: لَا أُجَامِعُ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْكُنَّ فَمُولٍ مِنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: لَا أُجَامِعُ إلَى سَنَةٍ إلَّا مَرَّةً فَلَيْسَ بِمُولٍ فِي الْحَالِ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ، فَإِنْ وَطِئَ وَبَقِيَ مِنْهَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ فَمُولٍ.
Section
An oath of continency is an oath uttered by a husband who can legally
repudiate his wife not to have carnal commerce with her, either for an
indefinite period, or for some period exceeding three months. In his
second period Sliafii established the doctrine that this oath need not
necessarily be expressed by invoking the name of God or one of his
qualities but that it is sufficient to make a declaration, under penalty
of repudiating a wife or enfranchising a slave in case of non-fulfilment ;
or even that it is enough to say, for example, If I henceforth have any
carnal commerce with you, I engage before God to accomplish a prayer,
or a fast, or a supererogatory pilgrimage,” or to enfranchise such and
such a slave.” An oath not to have carnal commerce with a woman
with whom one is not bound in the bonds of matrimony is an ordinary
oatli and not an oath of continency, even where one may subsequently
marry the woman.
An oath of continence is not permitted by our school : () where
* the wife is ratka or karna ; or () where the husband is emasculated.
The following words, “ I shall not have commerce with you for four
months, and at the end of that period, by God, I shall not for another
four months, and so on,” fdo not constitute an oath of continence,
because the original term does not exceed four months. By virtue of
the same principle there can be no doubt that two perfectly distinct
oaths of continence are implied in the words, By God, I shall have no
commerce with you for five months, and upon the expiry of that time
I shall have none for a year.” A man who declares he will abstain
from his wife until after some event that will certainly not happen in
four months, for instance the descent of Jesus Christ upon earth, utters
a perfectly regular oath of continence ; but this is not so where there is
reason to believe that the event will take place within four months, or
where it is not certain that the event will occur at a more distant date.
An oath of continence may be equally well enunciated in explicit or in
implicit terms. By explicit torms are understood those that imply
carnal commerce without any doubt, e.g. “ introduction of the penis,”
“ coition,” “ copulation,” and in the case of a virgin “ deflowering.”
On the other hand, Shafii, in his second period, considered the following
to be implicit terms : “ touching,” “ contact,” “ cohabitation,” “ going
to see,” “ covering,” “ approaching,” etc.
Where one says, “ If I afterwards cohabit with you, my slave shall
be enfranchised,” the oath of continence is broken ipso facto at the
moment of losing in any way the ownership of the slave. The husband
who, after pronouncing an injurious comparison against his wife, says
to her, “ If I cohabit again with you my slave shall be enfranchised
in consequence of my injurious comparison,” thereby utters a legal
oath of continence ; and even if he has not really pronounced previously
an injurious comparison the court should none the less hold that he
lias uttered both an injurious comparison and an oath of continence,
though perhaps mentally the man had no intention of pronouncing the
one or the other. For the court is not concerned with what one thinks,
but with what one says. If, however, the husband pronounces the words
cited without a previous injurious comparison, and adds, “ If I did
pronounce an injurious comparison,” he does not undergo the conse-
quences of his oath unless such comparison was really uttered. An
oath of continence has its full legal effect where one uses the words, “ If
I still cohabit with you, my other wife so-and-so will be repudiated,”
and in that case the latter’s repudiation is effected ipso facto by an ulterior
cohabitation with the wife against whom the words were pronounced ;
while the consequences of the oath cease to exist upon this repudiation.
He who says to his four wives, “ By God, I will not cohabit with you
any more,” has uttered an oath of continence that renders illicit his
cohabitation with all four of them, but not his cohabitation in general.
Thus if he subsequently cohabits with three of them, he must abstain
from the fourth ; while the death of one or more of the wives, previous
to any subsequent cohabitation, annuls the oath ijiso facto. Where, on
the other hand, he uses the words, “ I will not cohabit with any of you,”
this is an oath of continence that at once renders illicit cohabitation
with any one of them. *The words, “ I will cohabit with you only once
until the end of the year,” constitute an oath of continence only on
condition that more than four months of the year remain after the one
cohabitation of which the husband speaks.
فصل [في أحكام الإيلاء من ضرب مدة وما يتفرع عليها]
يُمْهَلُ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ الْإِيلَاءِ بِلَا قَاضٍ.
وَفِي رَجْعِيَّةٍ مِنْ الرَّجْعَةِ وَلَوْ ارْتَدَّ أَحَدُهُمَا بَعْدَ دُخُولٍ فِي الْمُدَّةِ انْقَطَعَتْ، فَإِذَا أَسْلَمَ اُسْتُؤْنِفَتْ وَمَا يَمْنَعُ الْوَطْءَ وَلَمْ يُخِلَّ بِنِكَاحٍ إنْ وُجِدَ فِيهِ لَمْ يَمْنَعْ الْمُدَّةَ كَصَوْمٍ وَإِحْرَامٍ وَمَرَضٍ وَجُنُونٍ، أَوْ فِيهَا وَهُوَ حِسِّيٌّ كَصِغَرٍ وَمَرَضٍ مَنَعَ، وَإِنْ حَدَثَ فِي الْمُدَّةِ قَطَعَهَا فَإِذَا زَالَ اُسْتُؤْنِفَتْ، وَقِيلَ تُبْنَى، أَوْ شَرْعِيٌّ كَحَيْضٍ وَصَوْمِ نَفْلٍ فَلَا، وَيَمْنَعُ فَرْضٌ فِي الْأَصَحِّ فَإِنْ وَطِئَ فِي الْمُدَّةِ، وَإِلَّا فَلَهَا مُطَالَبَتُهُ بِأَنْ يَفِيءَ أَوْ يُطَلِّقَ وَلَوْ تَرَكَتْ حَقَّهَا فَلَهَا الْمُطَالَبَةُ بَعْدَهُ.
وَتَحْصُلُ الْفَيْئَةُ بِتَغْيِيبِ حَشَفَةٍ بِقُبُلٍ، وَلَا مُطَالَبَةَ إنْ كَانَ بِهَا مَانِعُ وَطْءٍ كَحَيْضٍ وَمَرَضٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَانِعٌ طَبِيعِيٌّ كَمَرَضٍ طُولِبَ بِأَنْ يَقُولَ: إذَا قَدَرْت فِئْت: أَوْ شَرْعِيٌّ كَإِحْرَامٍ فَالْمَذْهَبُ أَنَّهُ يُطَالَبُ بِطَلَاقٍ، فَإِنْ عَصَى بِوَطْءٍ سَقَطَتْ الْمُطَالَبَةُ، وَإِنْ أَبَى الْفَيْئَةَ وَالطَّلَاقَ، فَالْأَظْهَرُ أَنَّ الْقَاضِيَ يُطَلِّقُ عَلَيْهِ طَلْقَةً، وَأَنَّهُ لَا يُمْهَلُ ثَلَاثَةً، وَأَنَّهُ إذَا وَطِئَ بَعْدَ مُطَالَبَةٍ لَزِمَهُ كَفَّارَةُ يَمِينٍ
Where a husband utters an oath of continence, the wife cannot
complain of it to the court until the expiry of the term of four months,
the period of indulgence beginning from the time the oath was pronounced ;
and, in the case of a woman revocably repudiated, from the moment
the husband demands the return to conjugal union. If the marriage
has been consummated the oath of continence is interrupted ipso facto
by the apostasy of one of the parties during the period of indulgence ;
and the fact of her returning from her errors before the end of her period
of legal retirement, causes another such period to be incurred. On the
other hand, temporary causes on the husband’s part that prevent coition
during marriage, without affecting its validity, do not affect either the
length or the period of indulgence. Among these causes are cited
fasting, Hiram, sickness, and madness. Where, on the other hand, these
temporary causes of prevention are on the part of the woman, they
interrupt the course of the period of indulgence if they are physical,
e.g. minority or sickness, and a new period begins as soon as the causes
in question cease to exist. A few authorities require that the time
elapsed before the existence of the cause of prevention should be taken
into account ; consequently they consider the course of the period of
indulgence not as interrupted, but as merely suspended. The legal
causes of prevention on the woman’s part have no influence upon the
duration of the period of indulgence, causes among which should be
mentioned menstrues, and supererogatory fasting ; jwhile, by way of
exception, the obligatory fasting of the woman has the same effect
as a purely physical cause.
An oath of continence is broken by coition during the period of
indulgence ; and in default of coition during this period, the wife ‘may
summons her husband, in order that he may decide either to take her
back or repudiate her. Her neglect to do this immediately does not
prevent her subsequently exercising this right, so long as the term of
the oath has not expired. Taking back the woman at her request is
consummated only by a real penetration, not by voluptuous actions of
any other kind. Consequently this right to summons her husband does
not exist where the woman is unfit for coition from any cause, e.g.
menstrues or sickness. In case of prevention on the husband’s part,
the woman must observe the two following distinctions : —
. If the cause of prevention is purely physical, e.g. sickness, all
she can insist upon is that her husband should declare himself to
be ready to fulfil his conjugal duties as soon as he is capable of
doing so.
. If the cause of prevention arises from some legal provision,
e.g . Hiram, the wife, according to our school, can only ask for
repudiation.
The wife has no right to summons her husband, if there has been
any carnal commerce between them, even where such commerce does
not amount to a regular coition. * Where the husband refuses to choose
between the two alternative courses open to him, the court should pro-
nounce a repudiation for him, i.e. one revocable repudiation, without
allowing him a three days’ respite. *Coition by order of the court does
not excuse the husband from legal expiation for a broken oath.
كتاب الظِّهَارِ
يَصِحُّ مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ مُكَلَّفٍ وَلَوْ ذِمِّيًّا وَخَصِيًّا، وَظِهَارُ سَكْرَانَ كَطَلَاقِهِ، وَصَرِيحُهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِزَوْجَتِهِ: أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ أَوْ مِنِّي أَوْ مَعِي أَوْ عِنْدِي كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي، وَكَذَا أَنْتِ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي صَرِيحٌ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ، وَقَوْلُهُ: جِسْمُكِ أَوْ بَدَنُك أَوْ نَفْسُك كَبَدَنِ أُمِّي أَوْ جِسْمِهَا أَوْ جُمْلَتِهَا صَرِيحٌ، وَالْأَظْهَرُ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ كَيَدِهَا أَوْ بَطْنِهَا أَوْ صَدْرِهَا ظِهَارٌ، وَكَذَا كَعَيْنِهَا إنْ قَصَدَ ظِهَارًا، وَإِنْ قَصَدَ كَرَامَةً فَلَا.
وَكَذَا إنْ أَطْلَقَ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَقَوْلُهُ: رَأْسُك أَوْ ظَهْرُك أَوْ يَدُك عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي ظِهَارٌ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ، وَالتَّشْبِيهُ بِالْجَدَّةِ ظِهَارٌ، وَالْمَذْهَبُ طَرْدُهُ فِي كُلِّ مَحْرَمٍ لَمْ يَطْرَأْ تَحْرِيمُهَا، لَا مُرْضِعَةٍ وَزَوْجَةِ ابْنٍ، وَلَوْ شَبَّهَ بِأَجْنَبِيَّةٍ وَمُطَلَّقَةٍ وَأُخْتِ زَوْجَةٍ وَأَبٍ وَمُلَاعَنَةٍ فَلَغْوٌ وَيَصِحُّ تَعْلِيقُهُ كَقَوْلِهِ: إنْ ظَاهَرْت مِنْ زَوْجَتِي الْأُخْرَى فَأَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي فَظَاهَرَ صَارَ مُظَاهِرًا مِنْهُمَا، وَلَوْ قَالَ: إنْ ظَاهَرْت مِنْ فُلَانَةَ وَفُلَانَةَ أَجْنَبِيَّةٌ فَخَاطَبَهَا بِظِهَارٍ لَمْ يَصِرْ مُظَاهِرًا مِنْ زَوْجَتِهِ إلَّا أَنْ يُرِيدَ اللَّفْظَ، فَلَوْ نَكَحَهَا وَظَاهَرَ مِنْهَا صَارَ مُظَاهِرًا.
وَلَوْ قَالَ مِنْ فُلَانَةَ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ فَكَذَلِكَ، وَقِيلَ لَا يَصِيرُ مُظَاهِرًا، وَإِنْ نَكَحَهَا وَظَاهَرَ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: إنْ ظَاهَرْت مِنْهَا وَهِيَ أَجْنَبِيَّةٌ فَلَغْوٌ، وَلَوْ قَالَ أَنْتِ طَالِقٌ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي وَلَمْ يَنْوِ أَوْ نَوَى الطَّلَاقَ أَوْ الظِّهَارَ أَوْ هُمَا أَوْ الظِّهَارَ بِأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ، وَالطَّلَاقُ بِكَظَهْرِ أُمِّي طَلُقَتْ وَلَا ظِهَارَ، أَوْ الطَّلَاقَ بِأَنْتِ طَالِقٌ، وَالظِّهَارَ بِالْبَاقِي طَلُقَتْ وَحَصَلَ الظِّهَارُ إنْ كَانَ طَلَاقَ رَجْعَةٍ.
Section
An injurious comparison may legally be pronounced by any adult sane
husband, even by the infidel subject of a Moslem prince, or by an
emasculated person. A husband’s drunkenness is no obstacle to the
validity of an injurious comparison, nor to that of a repudiation.
Thejnrmulas by which the comparison may be explicitly announced
are as follows : —
. “ You will be for me,” or “ in regard to me,” or “ with me,” “ as
the back of my mother.”
. f|“ You will be as the back of my mother,” and nothing else.
. “Your body,” “your breast,” or “your person will be as the
breast,” or “ the body of my mother,” or “ like all the parts of the body
of my mother.”
. *“ You will be to me like the hand,” “ the bosom,” or “ the chest
of my mother ; ” and even a comparison to the eye of one’s mother
must be considered to be valid, if the intention is to abuse one’s wife ;
but not if the intention is to say something agreeable to her, or if there
be no particular intention.
. *“ Your head,” “your back,” or “your hand will be to me as
the back of my mother.”
G. A comparison to one’s grandmother by these formulas is also
injurious, and our school extends this principle to all relatives within
the prohibited degrees, with whom relationship is not accidental, i.e.
with whom the husband could not be bound in the bonds of matrimony
at any period of his life. Thus a nurse or a daughter-in-law are not
included among relatives within the prohibited degrees, so far as con-
cerns an injurious comparison. A comparison made either to a strange
woman, or to a repudiated wife, or to a sister-in-law, or to one’s father,
or to a woman against whom one has pronounced an anathema, is null
and void.
An injurious comparison may be made conditionally. Conse-
quently the words, “ If I pronounce an injurious comparison against
my other wife, you also will be to me as the back of my mother,” result
in the comparison pronounced against the other wife affecting both.
Where, on the other hand, instead of speaking of one’s wife, one says,
“ If I pronounce a comparison against so-and-so,” i.e. a woman with
whom one is not bound in the bonds of matrimony, “ you,” that is
one’s wife, “ will be,” etc., the comparison has no consequence as
regards either, unless the husband’s intention was to make a comparison
of his wife depend upon his pronouncing the words of comparison
against any other person. It is possible, however, that this conditional
comparison may be accomplished later ; i.e. by marrying the person
in question and pronouncing a comparison against her. This rule
applies not only to the case where one has spoken of a woman with
whom one is not bound in the bonds of matrimony, but also to the case
where one says expressly, “ So-and-so who is not my wife.” However,
there are authorities who deny that the rule is applicable to this case ;
and the following expression, “ If I pronounce an injurious comparison
against so-and-so, though she is not my wife,” is null and void, whatever
the circumstances may be.
The words, “ You are repudiated like the back of my mother,” involve
the following consequences, according to the husband’s intention : —
. They constitute merely a repudiation,
(a) if the husband had no definite intention in pronouncing
them ;
(b) if he intended to repudiate his wife ;
(c) if ho intended to pronounce merely an injurious com-
parison ;
(cl) if he intended as much the one as the other ; or
(e) if he intended to pronounce an injurious comparison by the
words, “ You are repudiated,” and a repudiation by the
words, “ Like the back of my mother.”
. They constitute a repudiation, and, when this is revocable, also
an injurious comparison in addition, if the husband intended to re-
pudiate his wife by the words, “ You are repudiated,” and to pronounce
against her an injurious comparison by the words, “ Like the back of
my mother.”
فصل [في أحكام الظهار من وجوب كفارة وغير ذلك]
عَلَى الْمُظَاهِرِ كَفَّارَةٌ إذَا عَادَ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يُمْسِكَهَا بَعْدَ ظِهَارِهِ زَمَنَ إمْكَانَ فُرْقَةٍ، فَلَوْ اتَّصَلَتْ بِهِ فُرْقَةٌ، بِمَوْتٍ أَوْ فَسْخٌ أَوْ طَلَاقٍ بَائِنٍ أَوْ رَجْعِيٍّ وَلَمْ يُرَاجِعْ أَوْ جُنَّ فَلَا عَوْدَ، وَكَذَا لَوْ مَلَكَهَا أَوْ لَاعَنَهَا فِي الْأَصَحِّ، بِشَرْطِ سَبْقِ الْقَذْفِ ظِهَارَهُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَوْ رَاجَعَ أَوْ ارْتَدَّ، مُتَّصِلاً ثُمَّ أَسْلَمَ فَالْمَذْهَبُ أَنَّهُ عَائِدٌ بِالرَّجْعَةِ، لَا بِالْإِسْلَامِ، بَلْ بَعْدَهُ، وَلَا تَسْقُطُ الْكَفَّارَةُ بَعْدَ الْعَوْدِ بِفُرْقَةٍ وَيَحْرُمُ قَبْلَ التَّكْفِيرِ وَطْءٌ، وَكَذَا لَمْسٌ وَنَحْوُهُ بِشَهْوَةٍ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ قُلْت: الْأَظْهَرُ الْجَوَازُ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ وَيَصِحُّ الظِّهَارُ الْمُؤَقَّتُ مُؤَقَّتًا، وَفِي قَوْلٍ مُؤَبَّدًا، وَفِي قَوْلٍ لَغْوٌ، فَعَلَى الْأَوَّلِ الْأَصَحُّ أَنَّ عَوْدَهُ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِإِمْسَاكٍ بَلْ بِوَطْءٍ فِي الْمُدَّةِ وَيَجِبُ النَّزْعُ بِمُغَيِّبِ الْحَشَفَةِ وَلَوْ قَالَ: لِأَرْبَعٍ: أَنْتُنَّ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّي فَمُظَاهِرٌ مِنْهُنَّ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكَهُنَّ فَأَرْبَعُ كَفَّارَاتٍ، وَفِي الْقَدِيمِ كَفَّارَةٌ، وَلَوْ ظَاهَرَ مِنْهُنَّ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ مُتَوَالِيَةٍ فَعَائِدٌ مِنْ الثَّلَاثِ الْأُوَلِ، وَلَوْ كَرَّرَ فِي امْرَأَةٍ مُتَّصِلاً وَقَصَدَ تَأْكِيدًا فَظِهَارٌ وَاحِدٌ، أَوْ اسْتِئْنَافًا فَالْأَظْهَرُ التَّعَدُّدُ، وَأَنَّهُ بِالْمَرَّةِ الثَّانِيَةِ عَائِدٌ فِي الْأَوَّلِ
After pronouncing an injurious comparison the husband owes an
expiation, if he goes back upon his word and takes his wife again before
being otherwise separated from her. For such renewal of cohabitation
becomes impossible, and the comparison is ipso facto annulled, as soon
as it is followed by any other sort of separation, e.g . death, dissolution
of marriage on account of apostasy, or redhibitory defects, repudiation
either irrevocable or revocable but not followed by a return to conjugal
union, madness, for the fact of becoming proprietor of one’s wife, or of
having pronounced an imprecation against her, at least where the
accusation of the crime of fornication that led to the imprecation pre-
cedes the comparison. If the repudiation is followed by a return to
conjugal union, our school considers this act as implying ipso facto a
renewal of cohabitation, interrupted on account of the injurious com-
parison ; but where the marriage has been dissolved on account of the
husband’s apostasy, his return to the faith has not the same result
according to our school. This return would merely permit the husband
to resume the interrupted cohabitation. Expiation, once prescribed,
remains obligatory, even where a renewal of cohabitation has been
followed by another separation. And the husband must first acquit
himself of the expiation as a debt towards God before resuming cohabi-
tation, and even before permitting himself any voluptuous act. [*Such
acts are lawful even before expiation.]
An injurious comparison may be pronounced to take effect by a
particular time, and in that case the term must be duly observed ;
though according to one jurist a comparison so limited has the effect
of an unlimited comparison ; and according to another it is null and
void.
f According to the doctrine of most authorities, resumption of co-
habitation can only be effected by carnal commerce while the con-
sequences of the comparison are still in force ; the mere fact of the
woman living with her husband is not enough.
A husband who says to his four wives, “ You are all to me as the
back of my mother,” thereby pronounces an injurious comparison
against all four ; and if he takes them back as wives, he owes four times
the prescribed expiation ; though, in his first period, Shafii maintained
the opinion that in these circumstances the husband owes only a single
expiation. But where the husband, without stopping, pronounces
four times against his four wives the words, “ You shall be to me as
the back of my mother,” there are four different comparisons, the first
three of which are retracted. "Where, on the other hand, he repeats
the same words against one of his wives, it is necessary to distinguish : —
. If the object of the repetition was to confirm his first words, in
which case there is but one comparison ; and —
. *If the object was to reiterate them, in which case each repetition
involves a new comparison, though each implies the retractation of
that immediately preceding it.
كتاب الْكَفَّارَةِ
وَلَا يُجْزِئُ شِرَاءُ قَرِيبٍ بِنِيَّةِ كَفَّارَةٍ، وَلَا أُمِّ وَلَدٍ وَذِي كِتَابَةٍ صَحِيحَةٍ، وَيُجْزِئُ مُدَبَّرٌ وَمُعَلَّقٌ بِصِفَةٍ، فَإِنْ أَرَادَ جَعْلَ الْعِتْقِ الْمُعَلَّقِ كَفَّارَةً لَمْ يَجُزْ وَلَهُ تَعْلِيقُ عِتْقِ الْكَفَّارَةِ بِصِفَةٍ، وَإِعْتَاقُ عَبْدَيْهِ عَنْ كَفَّارَتَيْهِ عَنْ كُلٍّ نِصْفُ ذَا وَنِصْفُ ذَا، وَلَوْ أَعْتَقَ مُعْسِرٌ نِصْفَيْنِ عَنْ كَفَّارَةٍ فَالْأَصَحُّ الْإِجْزَاءُ إنْ كَانَ بَاقِيهِمَا حُرًّا وَلَوْ أَعْتَقَ بِعِوَضٍ لَمْ يَجُزْ عَنْ كَفَّارَةٍ، وَالْإِعْتَاقُ بِمَالٍ كَطَلَاقٍ بِهِ، فَلَوْ قَالَ أَعْتِقْ أُمَّ وَلَدِك عَلَى أَلْفٍ فَأَعْتَقَ نَفَذَ وَلَزِمَهُ الْعِوَضُ، وَكَذَا لَوْ قَالَ أَعْتِقْ عَبْدَك عَلَى كَذَا فَأَعْتَقَ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَإِنْ قَالَ أَعْتِقْهُ عَنِّي عَلَى كَذَا فَفَعَلَ عَتَقَ عَنْ الطَّالِبِ وَعَلَيْهِ الْعِوَضُ، وَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ يَمْلِكُهُ عَقِبَ لَفْظِ الْإِعْتَاقِ ثُمَّ يَعْتِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ مَلَكَ عَبْدًا أَوْ ثَمَنَهُ فَاضِلاً عَنْ كِفَايَةِ نَفْسِهِ وَعِيَالِهِ نَفَقَةً وَكِسْوَةً وَسُكْنَى وَأَثَاثًا لَا بُدَّ مِنْهُ لَزِمَهُ الْعِتْقُ وَلَا يَجِبُ بَيْعُ ضَيْعَةٍ وَرَأْسِ مَالٍ لَا يَفْضُلُ دَخْلُهُمَا عَنْ كِفَايَتِهِ، وَلَا مَسْكَنٍ وَعَبْدٍ نَفِيسَيْنِ أَلِفَهُمَا فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَا شِرَاءٌ بِغَبْنٍ، وَأَظْهَرُ الْأَقْوَالِ اعْتِبَارُ الْيَسَارِ بِوَقْتِ الْأَدَاءِ فَإِنْ عَجَزَ عَنْ عِتْقٍ صَامَ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ بِالْهِلَالِ بِنِيَّةِ كَفَّارَةٍ، وَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ نِيَّةُ التَّتَابُعِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، فَإِنْ بَدَأَ فِي أَثْنَاءِ شَهْرٍ حُسِبَ الشَّهْرُ بَعْدَهُ بِالْهِلَالِ وَأَتَمَّ الْأَوَّلَ مِنْ الثَّالِثِ ثَلَاثِينَ، وَيَفُوتُ التَّتَابُعُ بِفَوَاتِ يَوْمٍ بِلَا عُذْرٍ وَكَذَا بِمَرَضٍ فِي الْجَدِيدِ، لَا بِحَيْضٍ وَكَذَا جُنُونٌ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ.
فَإِنْ عَجَزَ عَنْ صَوْمٍ بِهَرَمٍ أَوْ مَرَضٍ قَالَ الْأَكْثَرُونَ لَا يُرْجَى زَوَالُهُ أَوْ لَحِقَهُ بِالصَّوْمِ مَشَقَّةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ أَوْ خَافَ زِيَادَةَ مَرَضٍ كَفَّرَ بِإِطْعَامِ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا أَوْ فَقِيرًا لَا كَافِرًا، وَلَا هَاشِمِيًّا، وَمُطَّلِبِيًّا سِتِّينَ مُدًّا، مِمَّا يَكُونُ فِطْرَةً.
Expiation is possible only where the husband intends to reconcile
himself with God ; but it is not rigorously necessary that this intention
should specially refer to the injurious comparison.
Expiation, in a case of injurious comparison, consists in the en-
franchisement of a slave of either sex, a Moslem, with no physical
infirmities that would prevent his working for a master or gaining a
living. It is enough then to enfranchise a slave who is a minor, or bald,
or lame so long as he is not wholly unable to walk, or blind of one eye,
or deaf, or deprived of the sense of smell, or one that has lost his nose,
his ears, or his toes ; but it is an insufficient expiation to enfranchise
a slave affected with some chronic malady, or one that has lost a foot
or a ring-finger, or a little finger, or two other fingers [or a thumb].
For the same reason it is insufficient to enfranchise a decrepit old
man, a madman oven with some rare intervals of lucidity, or a sick person
whose recovery cannot be hoped for. fit would be considered sufficient,
however, if the sick slave unexpectedly recovered. A person who owes
expiation cannot purchase a slave whose degree of relationship would
render enfranchisement obligatory with the object of freeing him by
way of expiation ; neither can he by way of expiation bestow full liberty
upon a woman enfranchised by reason of maternity, or upon a slave
undergoing enfranchisement by contract, at least if the contract is
valid. On the other hand, one may lawfulty, by way of expiation,
bestow full liberty upon a slave enfranchised by a will or conditionally ;
though it must be understood that after pronouncing a conditional
enfranchisement in favour of one’s slave, one may not recur to this idea
and enfranchise him under the same condition by way of expiation.
There is, however, no objection to making an enfranchisement by way
of expiation depend upon some condition. One may also legally
enfranchise two slaves for two different expiations, in such a way that
each of the expiations consists in the enfranchisement of half of the one
slave and half of the other. It is even lawful to enfranchise the halves
of two slaves for a single expiation ; fon condition, if the expiator is an
insolvent debtor, that the other halves have already been enfranchised.
Expiation cannot consist in an enfranchisement for an indemnity,
for this would be a bilateral contract, as much as a repudiation for com-
pensation, or a divorce. However, as a general rule, enfranchisement
is perfectly legal where a third party says to the master, ‘ ‘ Bestow full
freedom, for a thousand pieces of money, upon your slave already en-
franchised by reason of maternity,” and the master agrees to it. The
person in question then owes the sum mentioned ; fand this rule is
applicable not only to the case of a slave enfranchised by reason of
maternity, but also to any other enfranchisement. If the third party
uses the words, “Enfranchise the slave for me for so much,” the en-
franchisement, though effected by the master, would be none the less
considered by the law as coming from the speaker who consequently
owes the sum mentioned. fThis means that the latter is supposed to
become the owner of the slave, as soon as the enfranchisement is pro-
nounced by the master, after which the enfranchisement is at his charge.
Where the person owing expiation possesses in full property either
a slave who can be enfranchised in this way or money necessary to buy
one, and where he is not in actual need of one or the other for himself
or his family, for maintenance, clothing, lodging, or furniture, he should
enfranchise the slave he possesses or can purchase. But it is never
necessary to sell one’s immovable property or valuable securities for
the purpose of obtaining money to buy a slave for an expiatory en-
franchisement, when such sale would bring in no more than is necessary
for living. fNor is it necessary to sell for this purpose the house one
lives in, or the slave who is an old servant of many years’ service, even
though their value may be greater than what may be called strictly
necessary. The person owing expiation is not obliged to buy a slave
in order to acquit himself of the expiation, if this can be done without
a sacrifice on his part. *The solvency of the debtor is ascertained at
the moment he should perform the expiation.
A person who is not able to enfranchise a slave by way of expiation
should in place of this fast for two consecutive months of the lunar
year to expiate his fault ; fbut the law does not require the intention
not to interrupt the fast. If the fast is begun in the middle of a month,
the remaining days are taken into account, and also a number of days
in the third month equal to the number of days in the first month before
the fast began. The continuity of the fast is interrupted if a day is
allowed to pass without fasting, unless it has been physically impossible
to perform this duty, or one has been ill ; this is the doctrine maintained
by Shafii in his second period. On the other hand, continuity is not
interrupted by ceasing to fast on account of menstruation ; or even,
according to our school, by an attack of madness.
A person owing expiation being unable to fast, cither from decrepi-
tude or sickness, may instead of fasting nourish sixty indigent or poor
people. Most authorities, however, do not admit sickness as a cause of
exemption, except in the three following cases : —
. Where one cannot reasonably expect to recover.
. Where fasting would be particularly painful for the sick person.
. Where the sick person is afraid of aggravating his malady by
fasting, even though the actual malady in itself may not bo of a nature
to justify a deviation from the law.
The indigent and poor persons may not be infidels, nor Banu Hasliim
nor Banu el Mottalib ; and the amount of nourishment due to each is a
modd of provisions payable at the end of the annual fast. One may
not give to the same indigent person a modd a day for sixty days instead
of giving on one occasion sixty modds to sixty indigent persons, although
the total quantity of modds is the same in the one case and the other.
Nor may one give as provisions Hour, or sawilc, or bread, or provisions
specially used at breakfast or supper.
Section
An imprecation may be pronounced only where there has previously
been an accusation of the crime of fornication, and where this crime
cannot be proved in the manner prescribed by law.
This accusation can be made explicitly or implicitly. It is made
explicitly by the expressions, “ You have rendered yourself guilty of
the crime of fornication,” “ man,” or “ woman, guilty of fornica-
tion,” or by an accusation of having knowingly introduced the penis
into the vagina of a woman with whom commerce is prohibited, or into
the podex of a man or of a hermaphrodite. The words, “ You with-
drew to the mountain,” and even “ You withdrew,” are implicit ; fbut
the expression, “ You rendered yourself guilty of the crime of fornica-
tion in the mountain,” is explicit. The following incriminatory ex-
pressions, “ libertine,” and “ man of notorious misconduct,” pro-
nounced against a man, or “ wicked woman,” and “ You like deserted
spots ” uttered against a woman, or to say to one’s wife, “ You were
no longer a virgin at the time of our marriage,” imply an accusation of
the crime of fornication, unless the person using them declares he had
no such intention. In this latter case the law presumes that he is speaking
the truth, provided he takes an oath to that effect. The words, “
son of a public woman,” or “ As for me I never rendered myself guilty
of the crime of fornication,” constitute insinuations against the poison
with regard to whom they are pronounced, but not a formal accusation,
even if pronounced with that intention. The words, “ I have had pro-
hibited carnal commerce with you,” constitute both a confession and an
accusation of the crime of fornication. Where a husband says to his
wife, “ woman, guilty of the crime of fornication,” and she replies, “ I
never committed fornication except with you,” or “ You are more
guilty than I,” there is on the part of the husband an explicit, and on the
part of the wife an implicit accusation. Where, on the other hand, the
reply is, “It is true I committed the crime of fornication, but you
were more guilty in the matter than I,” there is a confession on the
wife’s part combined with an explicit accusation on the husband’s.
Thu expressions, “ Your vagina,” or “ Your penis has committed the
crime of fornication,” constitute an accusation of this crime ; and it
is the same where the speaker, instead of naming the genital parts,
says, “ your hand,” or “ your eye ; ” except that our school considers
these latter expressions as implicit. Our school also considers as im-
plicit the phrases, “ You are not mine,” or “ You are not my son,”
spoken against one’s child ; but the accusation, “ You are not the son
of so-and-so,” pronounced against the child of another is explicit, unless
it relates to a child whose father has already disavowed it by a previous
imprecation.
An accusation of the crime of fornication constitutes, when its
truth cannot be proved in the manner prescribed by law, the crime of
defamation. The defamer must suffer definitely prescribed corporal
punishment, if the accusation is made against any one who is mohsan ;
otherwise he incurs only an arbitrary correction. By mohsan is under-
stood any adult sane free Moslem man or woman abstaining from any
carnal commerce that would render him liable to the prescribed penalty
for fornication. Our rite regards as incompatible with such abstinence
an act of cohabitation with a slave to whom one is related within the
prohibited degrees ; fbut this incompatibility must not be extended
to commerce with one’s wife during her period of legal retirement, that
results from a cohabitation due to error, nor to that with a slave belonging
to one’s son, nor to that with a woman one has married without the
assistance of a guardian. If a person unlawfully accused of the crime
of fornication commits this crime later, there is no ground for accusing
and punishing as a defamer the person who accused him ; but no such
impunity results from the former losing his quality of mohsan in soino
other way, e.g. by apostasy. When one has once indulged in forbidden
carnal commerce, one may never again in all one’s life become mohsan .
The right to demand the punishment of a person guilty of defamation
passes to the lioirs of an injured party ; but this right lapses upon for-
giveness. *j*Each inheritor may exercise this right without the con-
currence of the others ; and forgiveness by one transfers his right to
the others.
فصل [في بيان حكم قذف الزوج ونفي الولد جوازا ووجوبا]
لَهُ قَذْفُ زَوْجَةٍ عَلِمَ زِنَاهَا أَوْ ظَنَّهُ ظَنًّا مُؤَكَّدًا؛ كَشَيَاعِ زِنَاهَا بِزَيْدٍ مَعَ قَرِينَةٍ بِأَنْ رَآهُمَا فِي خَلْوَةٍ وَلَوْ أَتَتْ بِوَلَدٍ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْهُ لَزِمَهُ نَفْيُهُ وَإِنَّمَا يَعْلَمُ إذَا لَمْ يَطَأْ أَوْ وَلَدَتْهُ لِدُونِ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ الْوَطْءِ أَوْ فَوْقَ أَرْبَعِ سِنِينَ، فَلَوْ وَلَدَتْهُ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَمْ تَسْتَبْرِئْ بِحَيْضَةٍ حَرُمَ النَّفْيُ وَإِنْ وَلَدَتْهُ لِفَوْقِ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ الِاسْتِبْرَاءِ حَلَّ النَّفْيُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ وَلَوْ وَطِئَ وَعَزَلَ حَرُمَ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ، وَلَوْ عَلِمَ زِنَاهَا وَاحْتُمِلَ كَوْنُ الْوَلَدِ مِنْهُ وَمِنْ الزِّنَا حَرُمَ النَّفْيُ، وَكَذَا الْقَذْفُ وَاللِّعَانُ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ.
A husband may with impunity accuse his wife of the crime of forni-
cation, even though he may be unable to furnish legal proof, when he
knows for certain she has been guilty of it, or when he has grave and well-
founded suspicions upon the subject. Among these may be included
the fact of its being of public notoriety that the woman is guilty of the
crime, and that so-and-so is her accomplice, and that the guilty pair
were surprised together in a desert place.
If a woman gives birth to a child of whom her husband knows
for certain he is not the father, he should disavow it, if he does not
want it to be considered his. The law admits such disavowal only
where —
. The husband has had no carnal intercourse with his wife during
the whole period of the marriage.
. The accouchement takes place less than six months after their
first coition, or more than four years after the last.
A child born between the limits of six months and four years after
the first coition may only be disavowed upon the double condition
that not only a menstruation subsequent to the last coition must prove
that the woman cannot have been rendered pregnant by her husband,
fbut also that the child is born more than six months after this puri-
ficatory menstruation. ffA husband may never base his disavowal
upon an assertion that during copulation he withdrew soon enough not
to fecundate his wife. If the crime of fornication, though proved,
took place at a moment that admits of the child being either that of
the husband or of the woman’s accomplice, the law declares illegal,
not only the disavowal, f fbut also the accusation of the crime of forni-
cation, and the imprecation.
فصل [في كيفية اللعان وشروطه وثمراته]
اللِّعَانُ: قَوْلُهُ أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ: أَشْهَدُ بِاَللَّهِ إنِّي لَمِنْ الصَّادِقِينَ فِيمَا رَمَيْت بِهِ هَذِهِ مِنْ الزِّنَا فَإِنْ غَابَتْ، سَمَّاهَا وَرَفَعَ نَسَبَهَا بِمَا يُمَيِّزُهَا، وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إنْ كَانَ مِنْ الْكَاذِبِينَ فِيمَا رَمَاهَا بِهِ مِنْ الزِّنَا وَإِنْ كَانَ وَلَدٌ يَنْفِيهِ ذَكَرَهُ فِي الْكَلِمَاتِ فَقَالَ وَإِنَّ الْوَلَدَ الَّذِي وَلَدَتْهُ أَوْ هَذَا الْوَلَدَ مِنْ زِنًا لَيْسَ مِنِّي وَتَقُولُ هِيَ: أَشْهَدُ بِاَللَّهِ إنَّهُ لَمِنْ الْكَاذِبِينَ فِيمَا رَمَانِي بِهِ مِنْ الزِّنَا، وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إنْ كَانَ مِنْ الصَّادِقِينَ فِيهِ وَلَوْ بُدِّلَ لَفْظُ شَهَادَةٍ بِحَلِفٍ وَنَحْوِهِ أَوْ غَضَبٍ بِلَعْنٍ وَعَكْسِهِ أَوْ ذُكِرَا قَبْلَ تَمَامِ الشَّهَادَاتِ لَمْ يَصِحَّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ.
وَيُشْتَرَطُ فِيهِ أَمْرُ الْقَاضِي وَيُلَقِّنُ كَلِمَاتِهِ وَأَنْ يَتَأَخَّرَ لِعَانُهَا عَنْ لِعَانِهِ وَيُلَاعِنُ أَخْرَسُ بِإِشَارَةٍ مُفْهِمَةٍ أَوْ كِتَابَةٍ وَيَصِحُّ بِالْعَجَمِيَّةِ، وَفِيمَنْ عَرَفَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ وَجْهٌ، وَيُغَلَّظُ بِزَمَانٍ وَهُوَ بَعْدَ عَصْرِ جُمُعَةٍ وَمَكَانٌ وَهُوَ أَشْرَفُ بَلَدِهِ، فَبِمَكَّةَ بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ، وَالْمَدِينَةِ عِنْدَ الْمِنْبَرِ، وَبَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ عِنْدَ الصَّخْرَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا عِنْدَ مِنْبَرِ الْجَامِعِ، وَحَائِضٌ بِبَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ، وَذِمِّيٌّ فِي بِيعَةٍ وَكَنِيسَةٍ، وَكَذَا بَيْتُ نَارِ مَجُوسِيٍّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، لَا بَيْتُ أَصْنَامِ وَثَنِيٍّ، وَجَمْعٍ أَقَلُّهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَالتَّغْلِيظَاتُ سُنَّةٌ لَا فَرْضٌ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ، وَيُسَنُّ لِلْقَاضِي وَعْظُهُمَا، وَيُبَالِغُ عِنْدَ الْخَامِسَةِ وَأَنْ يَتَلَاعَنَا قَائِمَيْنِ، وَشَرْطُهُ زَوْجٌ يَصِحُّ طَلَاقُهُ وَلَوْ ارْتَدَّ بَعْدَ وَطْءٍ فَقَذَفَهَا وَأَسْلَمَ فِي الْعِدَّةِ لَاعَنَ وَلَوْ لَاعَنَ ثُمَّ أَسْلَمَ فِيهَا صَحَّ أَوْ أَصَرَّ صَادَفَ بَيْنُونَةً.
وَيَتَعَلَّقُ بِلِعَانِهِ فُرْقَةٌ وَحُرْمَةٌ مُؤَبَّدَةٌ، وَإِنْ أَكْذَبَ نَفْسَهُ تَنْبِيهٌ: وَسُقُوطُ الْحَدِّ عَنْهُ، وَوُجُوبُ حَدِّ زِنَاهَا.
وَانْتِفَاءُ نَسَبٍ نَفَاهُ بِلِعَانِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا يَحْتَاجُ إلَى نَفْيِ مُمْكِنٍ مِنْهُ، فَإِنْ تَعَذَّرَ بِأَنْ وَلَدَتْهُ لِسِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ الْعَقْدِ أَوْ طَلَّقَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ، أَوْ نَكَحَ وَهُوَ بِالْمَشْرِقِ وَهِيَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ لَمْ يَلْحَقْهُ وَلَهُ نَفْيُهُ مَيِّتًا، وَالنَّفْيُ عَلَى الْفَوْرِ فِي الْجَدِيدِ وَيُعْذَرُ لِعُذْرٍ، وَلَهُ نَفْيُ حَمْلٍ وَانْتِظَارُ وَضْعِهِ، وَمَنْ أَخَّرَ وَقَالَ جَهِلْت الْوِلَادَةَ صُدِّقَ بِيَمِينِهِ إنْ كَانَ غَائِبًا وَكَذَا الْحَاضِرُ فِي مُدَّةٍ يُمْكِنُ جَهْلُهُ فِيهَا، وَلَوْ قِيلَ لَهُ: مُتِّعْت بِوَلَدِك، أَوْ جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ وَلَدًا صَالِحًا فَقَالَ آمِينَ أَوْ نَعَمْ تَعَذَّرَ نَفْيُهُ، وَإِنْ قَالَ جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا، أَوْ بَارَكَ عَلَيْك فَلَا وَلَهُ اللِّعَانُ مَعَ إمْكَانِ بَيِّنَةٍ بِزِنَاهَا، وَلَهَا لِدَفْعِ حَدِّ الزِّنَا.
An imprecation consists in the solemn declaration four times re-
peated, “ God is my witness that I am sincere in accusing this my wife
of the crime of fornication.” If this accusation is not pronounced in
presence of the accused, the name and descent must be indicated so
as to leave no uncertainty as to the person intended. The husband
must also invoke upon himself “the malediction of God,” if he has
brought the accusation in bad faith. If the imprecation is to be accom-
panied by the disavowal of a child the husband should mention it at
once, adding to each enunciation of the formula, “ And in asserting that
the child to which she has just given birth,” or “ this child,” “ is an
illegitimate child, of whom I am not the father.” The woman on her
side may rebut the accusation by repeating four times, “ God is my
witness that my husband brings this accusation in bad faith,” and after
that invoking “ the wrath of God ” upon herself, if her husband is
sincere in his accusation, fit is rigorously necessary to use these
particular words ; an oath may not be lawfully substituted for tho
phrase, “ God is my witness,” nor may the words “ malediction ” and
“ wrath ” be interchanged, |or inserted before the phrase, “ God is
my witness.” It is also rigorously necessary that the imprecation
should take place only upon an order of the court, which must contain
the formula to be pronounced, with the legal consequences that result
from its pronouncement. The woman may not pronounce her formula
before the husband has finished his. A muto may choose between signs
clearly indicating the meaning, and its reduction to writing. The
formula may also be pronounced in a language other than Arabic ;
except in the case of persons who can speak Arabic even though it may
not be their mother tongue.
An imprecation should be rendered more solemn —
. By the choice of the time when it is pronounced, i.e. Friday, at
the close of afternoon prayer.
. By the choice of the place where it is pronounced, i.e . the most
noteworthy spot in the town. Thus at Mecca an imprecation is uttered
between the corner of the Kaba containing the “ black stone,” and the
Makam Ibrahim ; at Medina close to the pulpit in the sacred Mosque ;
at Jerusalem near the Sakhra ; and in other cities near the pulpit in
the great mosque. It is understood of course that a woman who is
impure by reason of menstruation must pronounce her formula at the
door of tho building. Infidel subjects of a Moslem prince pronounce
the imprecation in their churches or synagogues, and a fire-worshipper
may even pronounce it in his temple ; but an idolator may not lawfully
pronounce it in a temple of idols.
. By the number of persons present ; that is to say that an impre-
cation must be pronounced in the presence of at least four persons.
These three rules, however, are considered by our school as being
merely precepts of tho Sonna, and consequently not of rigorous obser-
vance. The Sonna also prescribes that the court should give tho in-
terested parties such advice as may seem expedient, especially when
they are about to pronounce the decisive fifth phrase. The Sonna also
requires that an imprecation should be uttered standing.
Though in general a husband cannot pronounce an imprecation
unless he is legally capable of repudiating his wife, the act is still valid : —
. If the husband, apostatised after cohabitation with his wife,
accuses her of the crime of fornication, but returns to the faith after the
end of her period of legal retirement, and then pronounces an impre-
cation.
. If the husband, in the same circumstances, pronounces an impre-
cation immediately after the accusation, and subsequently returns to
the faith, provided always that it is before the expiration of the period
of legal retirement.
Where, on the other hand, the husband does not repent from his errors
until after the expiration of the period of legal retirement, the fact that
the marriage is ipso facto dissolved is an obstacle to the imprecation.
An imprecation pronounced by a husband has the following conse-
quences : —
. iThe parties are separated, and marriage between them is for ever
forbidden, even though the husband subsequently retracts his accusa-
tions.
. The husband is not punishable as a detainer, though unable
to furnish the testimony legally required to prove his wife's
crime.
. The wife is punishable for the crime of fornication, unless
she in her turn pronounces the imprecation in the terms already
mentioned.
. The child whose paternity is disavowed by the husband’s impre-
cation is not recognised as his by law.
The disavowal is unnecessary, and the child ipso facto illegitimate
if not only is the husband certain he is not its father, but this is manifest
to every one by the nature of things ; for instance, if the mother gives
birth to it within six months from the marriage contract, or if the mother
was repudiated immediately after the contract, in both cases before the
marriage was consummated, or if the marriage was effected when one
of the parties was in the East and tho other in the West. On the other
hand, the child's death does not extinguish the right of disavowal,
Shafii maintained, in his second period, that a disavowal should take
place after no long interval, without prejudice, however, to its being
effected at any time, on alleging some valid excuse for the delay. A
husband may at his choice disavow a child of which his wife is pregnant
either before or after her lying-in ; and if he excuses his delay in pro-
nouncing his disavowal on the ground that the birth was concealed
from him, the presumption is in his favour upon his taking an oath.
This presumption, however, only exists where the husband was absent,
or if present where the length of the delay is not incompatible with his
ignorance. A husband to whom is spoken the following compliment,
“ May you have much pleasure from your child,” or “ God grant your
son become a good man,” and who replies, “ Amen,” or “ Yes,” may not
subsequently disavow it ; but if, instead of making use of an expression
implying avowal, the husband replies, “ May God reward you,” or
“ May God bless you,” he is free afterwards to pronounce a disavowal.
The possibility of furnishing legal proof of the crime of fornication is
no obstacle to a husband's pronouncing an imprecation. And tho
woman's reply to her husband’s imprecation according to tho
above-mentioned formula results in her not being liable to the
definitely prescribed penalty for the crime of fornication, unless the
husband produces the proof required by law.
فصل [في المقصود الأصلي من اللعان]
لَهُ اللِّعَانُ لِنَفْيِ وَلَدٍ، وَإِنْ عَفَتْ عَنْ الْحَدِّ وَزَالَ النِّكَاحُ، وَلِدَفْعِ حَدِّ الْقَذْفِ وَإِنْ زَالَ النِّكَاحُ، وَلَا وَلَدَ، وَلِتَعْزِيرِهِ، لَا تَعْزِيرَ تَأْدِيبٍ لِكَذِبٍ كَقَذْفِ طِفْلَةٍ لَا تُوطَأُ، وَلَوْ عَفَتْ عَنْ الْحَدِّ أَوْ أَقَامَ بَيِّنَةً بِزِنَاهَا أَوْ صَدَّقَتْهُ وَلَا وَلَدَ أَوْ سَكَتَتْ عَنْ طَلَبِ الْحَدِّ أَوْ جُنَّتْ بَعْدَ قَذْفِهِ فَلَا لِعَانَ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَوْ أَبَانَهَا أَوْ مَاتَتْ ثُمَّ قَذَفَهَا بِزِنًا مُطْلَقٍ أَوْ مُضَافٍ إلَى مَا بَعْدَ النِّكَاحِ لَاعَنَ إنْ كَانَ وَلَدٌ يَلْحَقُهُ فَإِنْ أَضَافَ إلَى مَا قَبْلَ نِكَاحِهِ فَلَا لِعَانَ إنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ وَلَدٌ وَكَذَا إنْ كَانَ فِي الْأَصَحِّ لَكِنْ لَهُ إنْشَاءُ قَذْفٍ وَيُلَاعِنُ، وَلَا يَصِحُّ نَفْيُ أَحَدِ تَوْأَمَيْنِ
A husband may pronounce an imprecation not only in order to
enjoy all the legal advantages which result from it ; but also with one
of the following special intentions : —
. In order to disavow a child, even though his wife may have
already pardoned his defamation, and the marriage been dissolved in
some other manner.
. In order to escape the definitely prescribed penalty for defamation,
even though the marriage may have been already dissolved in some other
manner, and there is no child to disavow.
. In order to escape a discretional punishment for defamation,
where particular circumstances rendered him not liable to the definitely
prescribed penalty.
In any case an imprecation is never an excuse where it is a matter
of defamation contrary to common-sense and manifestly false ; and in
a case of this sort the court is justified in inflicting upon the detainer a
discretional punishment for his moral amelioration. Among such
groundless defamations may be mentioned that of a girl still a minor
and incapable of coition.
An imprecation cannot take place : —
. If the woman is not pregnant as a result of the crime of which her
husband accuses her, and also —
(а) She pardons the defamation pronounced.
(б) The husband can furnish the proof required by law that she has
been guilty of the crime of fornication.
(c) The wife’s crime is proved by her own avowal.
. If the woman renounces her right to proceed against her husband
before the court.
. If the woman goes mad in consequence of the defamation pro-
nounced against her.
On the other hand, an imprecation is admissible, even where the
wife has been irrevocably repudiated, or where the marriage has been
dissolved by her death, in a case where her husband accuses her of the
crime of fornication, without being able to furnish legal proof of it,
and the defamation is pronounced in general or with reference to a fact
subsequent to the dissolution of the marriage, always on condition
that there is a child which the husband is obliged to disavow if he does
not wish to be considered its father. But an imprecation can never be
pronounced after the irrevocable dissolution of a marriage, on account
of a fact that took place before the marriage, fwhethcr there is or is
not a child to disavow. In all cases the husband must begin by accusing
his wife of the crime of fornication before having recourse to an impre-
cation ; and the law does not permit tho husband to disavow one of
two twin children and not the other ; he must either disavow both or
accept their joint paternity without any reservation.
كتاب الْعِدَدِ
Section
A woman’s legal retirement after the dissolution of her marriage is of
two categories, the first being that prescribed in consequence of a
separation inter vivos , whether by repudiation or by any other method
of dissolution of marriage. This kind of legal retirement need not be
observed except when there has been carnal commerce between the
parties ; for where it is proved that the womb is intact retirement is not
i ecessary. This, at any rate, was the doctrine maintained by Shafii
during his Egyptian period.
The legal retirement of a free woman who has menstrues and regular
periods of purity, is composed of three periods of purity ; but it is
understood that a woman separated in one of her periods of purity
concludes her retirement at the beginning of the third menstruation,
while one separated during one of her menstruations becomes free only
upon the commencement of the fourth, including that during which she
was repudiated. One authority insists that twenty-four hours should
elapse before it can be said that menstruation has definitely commenced ;
and there is disagreement on the point whether a woman, who, upon the
dissolution of her marriage, has not yet had menstrues but begins to
experience them shortly afterwards, should or should not be considered
as separated during a period of purity. This controversy derives from
the other one as to whether the expression, “ period of purity,”
signifies merely a transition from purity to menstruation or whether it
implies an interval of purity between two menstruations. *In this
latter controversy the second of these two views is to be preferred.
The legal retirement of a woman whose haemorrhages are prolonged
beyond the term of her menstrues is fixed so as to take into consideration
her habitual periods of purity and menstruation ; but a woman who
Ins irregular fluxes should in all cases observe a legal retirement of three
months, or, according to some authorities, a retirement lasting for three
months after menstruation has ceased to be manifested. A woman en-
franchised by reason of maternity, a woman undergoing enfranchisement
by contract, and in general all slave women, should observe a
retirement of two periods of purity. *If they become completely en-
franchised during their retirement, they should terminate it, in the case
of a revocable repudiation, as if they had been free since the separation ;
but they should continue their retirement as if they were still slaves
in the case of an irrevocable repudiation or any other kind of separation
which, like divorce, has the same consequences as an irrevocable
repudiation.
A free woman who has no menstrues, or has passed the age for them,
should observe a retirement of three months, and, if the repudiation
took place in the middle of a month, her retirement is not completed
until after the appearance of two new moons plus the number of days
wanting to complete thirty in the first month ; all without prejudice
to her obligation to observe the prescribed periods of purity, should
she before the end of this time become subject to menstruation. A
slave woman, including a woman enfranchised by reason of maternity,
and one undergoing enfranchisement by contract, should, under theso
circumstances, observe a retirement for one month and a half, when
they have no menstrues or have them no longer ; though one authority
prescribes them a retirement of two months, and another one of three.
A woman whose menstrues are interrupt ed by some cause, such as suckling
or sickness, should defer her retirement for three months until menstrua-
tion returns, or it appears evident that it will not do so ; in his second
period Shafii even declared this rule to be applicable to cases where ihe
interruption is not due to any known cause. In his first period our
Imam maintained that a woman in such a case, where the cause is not
known, should begin by waiting nine months to see whether menstruation
is going to return, and after that accomplish the ordinary three months’
retirement.
In his second period Shafii also expressed the opinion that if t lie
woman has reasons to think menstruation will not return, and con-
sequently observes a retirement of three months, and the menstruation
does return before the expiry of the three months, she should com-
plete her retirement counting by periods of purity. *This is also what
she should do, even though menstruation does not reappear until after
the expiry of the three months, if she has not meanwhile become engaged
in the bonds of another marriage ; otherwise she is not obliged to observe
a new period of retirement. As to whether a woman has good reason to
think her menstruation will not return, this is a question which should
be decided according to information obtained in each particular case
from previous instances of near relatives both on the father’s and
mother’s side ; though, according to one authority, recourse may be
had to observations with regard to women in general. [*I recommend
this latter doctrine.]
فصل [في العدة بوضع الحمل]
عِدَّةُ الْحَامِلِ بِوَضْعِهِ بِشَرْطِ نِسْبَتِهِ إلَى ذِي الْعِدَّةِ وَلَوْ احْتِمَالاً كَمَنْفِيٍّ بِلِعَانٍ وَانْفِصَالِ كُلِّهِ حَتَّى ثَانِي تَوْأَمَيْنِ وَمَتَى تَخَلَّلَ دُونَ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ فَتَوْأَمَانِ وَتَنْقَضِي بِمَيِّتٍ لَا عَلَقَةٍ، وَبِمُضْغَةٍ فِيهَا صُورَةُ آدَمِيٍّ خَفِيَّةٌ أَخْبَرَ بِهَا الْقَوَابِلُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ صُورَةٌ وَقُلْنَ: هِيَ أَصْلُ آدَمِيٍّ انْقَضَتْ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ، وَلَوْ ظَهَرَ فِي عِدَّةِ أَقْرَاءٍ أَوْ أَشْهُرٍ حَمْلٌ لِلزَّوْجِ اعْتَدَّتْ بِوَضْعِهِ، وَلَوْ ارْتَابَتْ فِيهَا لَمْ تَنْكِحْ حَتَّى تَزُولَ الرِّيبَةُ، أَوْ بَعْدَهَا وَبَعْدَ نِكَاحٍ اسْتَمَرَّ إلَّا أَنْ تَلِدَ لِدُونِ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ عَقْدِهِ أَوْ بَعْدَهَا قَبْلَ نِكَاحٍ فَلْتَصْبِرْ لِتَزُولَ الرِّيبَةُ، فَإِنْ نَكَحَتْ فَالْمَذْهَبُ عَدَمُ إبْطَالِهِ فِي الْحَالِ، فَإِنْ عُلِمَ مُقْتَضِيه أَبْطَلْنَاهُ، وَلَوْ أَبَانَهَا فَوَلَدَتْ لِأَرْبَعِ سِنِينَ لَحِقَهُ، أَوْ لِأَكْثَرَ فَلَا.
وَلَوْ طَلَّقَ رَجْعِيًّا حُسِبَتْ الْمُدَّةُ مِنْ الطَّلَاقِ، وَفِي قَوْلٍ مِنْ انْصِرَامِ الْعِدَّةِ وَلَوْ نَكَحَتْ بَعْدَ الْعِدَّةِ فَوَلَدَتْ لِدُونِ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ فَكَأَنَّهَا لَمْ تَنْكِحْ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لِسِتَّةٍ فَالْوَلَدُ لِلثَّانِي وَلَوْ نَكَحَتْ فِي الْعِدَّةِ فَاسِدًا فَوَلَدَتْ لِلْإِمْكَانِ مِنْ الْأَوَّلِ لَحِقَهُ وَانْقَضَتْ بِوَضْعِهِ ثُمَّ تَعْتَدُّ لِلثَّانِي أَوْ بَلْ إمْكَانٌ مِنْ الثَّانِي لَحِقَهُ أَوْ مِنْهُمَا عُرِضَ عَلَى قَائِفٍ، فَإِنْ أَلْحَقَهُ بِأَحَدِهِمَا فَكَالْإِمْكَانِ مِنْهُ فَقَطْ.
The legal retirement of a woman who is pregnant at the moment of
separation terminates upon her accouchement, on the double condition
that —
. The child’s father is the woman’s lawful husband ; whether the
paternity is established by law, or whether it can merely be considered
possible, e.g. in case of disavowal.
. The accouchement is terminated. This rule applies equally to
“ twins,” though in this case the retirement expires only upon the
birth of the last born. By “ twins ” are understood children born at a
less interval than six months. The birth of a still-born child counts as
an ordinary accouchement ; but not an abortion, at least where the
foetus consists merely in a lump of flesh without human form. On the
other hand, if the foetus already has a human form, though distinguish-
able only by a mid-wife, the abortion counts as an ordinary accouche-
ment. Our school goes even further and allows that a retirement is
terminated by an abortion, where the foetus is merely a lump of flesh,
but the midwives say it contains a principle of vitality.
A woman who begins by counting her retirement by periods of
purity or by months, and perceives after its termination that she is
pregnant, should still observe her period of retirement as if she had
known of her pregnancy at the moment of the separation ; and even
if she merely suspect her pregnancy without being sure of it, she cannot
remarry before her suspicions are either dissipated or realised. Where,
on the contrary, her suspicions arise only after the end of periods of
purity or of months that constituted her period of legal retirement, the
two following eases must be distinguished : —
. If she has remarried, the second marriage remains intact, and the
child has for father the new husband, unless born within six months
after the contract.
. If she has not remarried she should wait until her suspicions are
dissipated or realised ; though a new marriage effected in contravention
of this rule is not considered null by our school, unless the new husband
has acted knowingly.
A child born four years after the irrevocable separation of the parties
has the husband for father, unless the woman has remarried under the
circumstances we have described ; but a child born later than this period
is always illegitimate. In the case of a revocable repudiation, this period
is counted from the moment of repudiation ; though, according to one
authority, it should be calculated from the moment the period of legal
retirement has expired. When a separated woman remarries after the
end of her period of legal retirement, without suspecting her pregnancy,
the fact that she has an accouchement within six months from the dis-
solution of the first marriage is enough to nullify the second ; but a
child born later than this has for father the second husband.
A new marriage effected before the end of the period of legal retire-
ment is illegal, and a child born during this marriage has for father the
former husband, at least where the accouchement takes place within a
period that renders this paternity alone admissible. The woman in
question has then, by the fact of the accouchement, terminated the
period of legal retirement necessary upon her separation from her former
husband ; but after this must still observe an ordinary period of legal
retirement for having cohabited with the second. On the other hand, if
the time of the accouchement demonstrates the paternity of the second
father the latter is regarded as the child’s father, in spite of the illegality
of the second marriage ; while, if the time of the accouchement admits
equally well of the paternity of the one husband and of the other, the
matter should be submitted to a physiognomist who should pronounce
after examining the child, and whose decision carries with it the same
consequences as if the paternity had been indicated by the time of the
accouchement.
فصل [في تداخل العدتين]
لَزِمَهَا عِدَّتَا شَخْصٍ مِنْ جِنْسٍ؛ بِأَنْ طَلَّقَ ثُمَّ وَطِئَ فِي عِدَّةِ أَقْرَاءٍ أَوْ أَشْهُرٍ جَاهِلاً أَوْ عَالِمًا فِي رَجْعِيَّةٍ تَدَاخَلَتَا فَتَبْتَدِئُ عِدَّةً مِنْ الْوَطْءِ وَيَدْخُلُ فِيهَا بَقِيَّةُ عِدَّةِ الطَّلَاقِ، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ إحْدَاهُمَا حَمْلاً وَالْأُخْرَى أَقْرَاءً تَدَاخَلَتَا فِي الْأَصَحِّ، فَتَنْقَضِيَانِ بِوَضْعِهِ، وَيُرَاجِعُ قَبْلَهُ، وَقِيلَ إنْ كَانَ الْحَمْلُ مِنْ الْوَطْءِ فَلَا، أَوْ لِشَخْصَيْنِ بِأَنْ كَانَتْ فِي عِدَّةِ زَوْجٍ، أَوْ شُبْهَةٍ فَوُطِئَتْ بِشُبْهَةٍ أَوْ نِكَاحٍ فَاسِدٍ أَوْ كَانَتْ زَوْجَةً مُعْتَدَّةً عَنْ شُبْهَةٍ فَطَلُقَتْ فَلَا تَدَاخُلَ فَإِنْ كَانَ حَمْلٌ قُدِّمَتْ عِدَّتُهُ وَإِلَّا فَإِنْ سَبَقَ الطَّلَاقُ أَتَمَّتْ عِدَّتَهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَأْنَفَتْ الْأُخْرَى، وَلَهُ الرَّجْعَةُ فِي عِدَّتِهِ فَإِذَا رَاجَعَ انْقَضَتْ وَشَرَعَتْ فِي عِدَّةِ الشُّبْهَةِ، وَلَا يَسْتَمْتِعُ بِهَا حَتَّى تَقْضِيَهَا، وَإِنْ سَبَقَتْ الشُّبْهَةُ قُدِّمَتْ عِدَّةُ الطَّلَاقِ وَقِيلَ الشُّبْهَةِ.
Where a woman has to observe two periods of legal retirement of the
same nature, resulting from her cohabitation with the same individual,
one of the periods is included in the other. This is what takes place, for
instance where a husband, after repudiating his wife revocably, indulges
in coition with her before the expiration of her period. In this case it
makes no difference —
. Whether the retirement is calculated by periods of purity, or
by months.
. Whether coition has taken place knowingly or not.
In any case the final period of legal retirement begins from the last
act of coition and involves ipso facto what remained to be accomplished
of the retirement rendered necessary by the previous repudiation. And
it is the same where the two periods of legal retirement are of a different
kind ; for example, if one is calculated by periods of purity and the other
is terminated by an accouchement . Then the accouchement determines
the end of the final period of retirement, and the husband may exercise
his right of return to conjugal union, until the accouchement has taken
place. A small number of authorities do not admit this extension of
the right of return to conjugal union where tho pregnancy is the conse-
quence of coition subsequent to the repudiation.
Where it is not the same individual whose successive cohabitation
has rendered tho two periods of legal retirement obligatory, the one is
not included in the other. This happens, for instance —
. Where a woman, repudiated by her husband, or who has com-
mitted cohabitation by error, indulges, beforo the expiration of her
period of legal retirement, in coition with another whom she supposes
to be her new husband, or who really is so but by virtue of an illegal
marriage.
. Where a woman who perceives that she lias cohabited by error
and who observes a legal period of retirement in consequence, is repudi-
ated by her real husband before tho expiration of that period.
^Vlien, in any of these cases, the woman is pregnant, she should
always begin by observing the period of retirement rendered necessary
by her pregnancy ; and after her accouchement, she should observe
that rendered necessary by the other cohabitation. If she is not
pregnant, two cases must be distinguished.
. The case mentioned above where the repudiation has priority
over the coition committed by error. The woman should then fust
observe the legal period of retirement for repudiation, and afterwards
begin the other period, all without prejudice to the right of return to
conjugal union. If the husband exercises this right, the retirement for
the repudiation ceases at the same time ; but the woman should still
accomplish the retirement on account of her coition with her supposed
husband, before cohabiting with her true husband.
. The case where the coition by error has the priority. In this
case the retirement on account of the repudiation is first accomplished ;
though some authorities accord priority to the retirement on account of
the coition by error.
فصل [في حكم معاشرة المفارق للمعتدة]
عَاشَرَهَا كَزَوْجٍ بِلَا وَطْءٍ فِي عِدَّةِ أَقْرَاءٍ أَوْ أَشْهُرٍ، فَأَوْجُهٌ: أَصَحُّهَا إنْ كَانَتْ بَائِنًا انْقَضَتْ وَإِلَّا فَلَا، وَلَا رَجْعَةَ بَعْدَ الْأَقْرَاءِ وَالْأَشْهُرِ قُلْت: وَيَلْحَقُهَا الطَّلَاقُ إلَى انْقِضَاءِ الْعِدَّةِ، وَلَوْ عَاشَرَهَا أَجْنَبِيٌّ انْقَضَتْ وَاَللَّه أَعْلَمُ وَلَوْ نَكَحَ مُعْتَدَّةً بِظَنِّ الصِّحَّةِ وَوَطِئَ انْقَطَعَتْ مِنْ حِينِ وَطِئَ، وَفِي قَوْلٍ أَوْ وَجْهٍ مِنْ الْعَقْدِ وَلَوْ رَاجَعَ حَائِلاً ثُمَّ طَلَّقَ اسْتَأْنَفَتْ، وَفِي الْقَدِيمِ تَبْنِي إنْ لَمْ يَطَأْ، أَوْ حَامِلاً فَبِالْوَضْعِ فَلَوْ وَضَعَتْ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَ اسْتَأْنَفَتْ، وَقِيلَ إنْ لَمْ يَطَأْ بَعْدَ الْوَضْعِ فَلَا عِدَّةَ وَلَوْ خَالَعَ مَوْطُوءَةً ثُمَّ نَكَحَهَا ثُمَّ وَطِئَ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَ اسْتَأْنَفَتْ وَدَخَلَ فِيهَا الْبَقِيَّةَ.
fWliere a husband, after repudiating his wife irrevocably, con-
tinues to live with her during her period of legal retirement, counted
either by periods of purity or by months, without, however, there being
any carnal commerce between the parties, the retirement is carried out
all the same, as if the separation had been complete, f Where, on the
other hand, in these circumstances the repudiation is revocable, the
retirement is not carried out until the parties cease to live together,
though the right to return to conjugal union exists only during the
prescribed periods of purity or months.
[The repudiation remains revocable as long as the period of legal
retirement has not expired ; and the fact of a woman living with any
other than her husband causes a retirement rendered necessary by re-
pudiation to terminate ipso facto.]
Where a woman who has been repudiated revocably remarries
during her period of legal retirement, believing she may lawfully do so,
the retirement is interrupted from the consummation of the neAV
marriage ; or, according to one authority, from the contract — an opinion
Avliich some elevato to the rank of a doctrine. So that, if the former
husband exercises his right of return to conjugal union, and afterwards
repudiates his wife a second time, sho must begin her retirement again
on account of the former repudiation. According, however, to the
opinion of Shafii in his first period, the retirement is only suspended by
the new marriage, so that the woman in those circumstances need only
finish what is left over, provided that the return to the former union
is not followed by coition. Where in these same circumstances the
woman is rendered pregnant by her second husband and afterwards
taken back by the first, the period of legal retirement does not terminate
before the accouchement ; and if she is again repudiated by her first
husband, sho must begin a now period of retirement. According to a
small number of authorities there is no need to recommence a now
period of legal retirement after the accouchement, unless there has
been subsequent cohabitation with the first husband. Finally, where
the first husband has successively married again and repudiated the
woman from whom he was previously divorced, her final period of
legal retirement commences from the repudiation ; and this retirement
includes that rendered necessary by the divorce.
فصل [في الضرب الثاني من ضربي عدة النكاح]
عِدَّةُ حُرَّةٍ حَائِلٍ لِوَفَاةٍ وَإِنْ لَمْ تُوطَأْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشَرَةَ أَيَّامٍ بِلَيَالِيِهَا، وَأَمَةٍ نِصْفُهَا وَإِنْ مَاتَ عَنْ رَجْعِيَّةٍ انْتَقَلَتْ إلَى وَفَاةٍ أَوْ بَائِنٍ فَلَا، وَحَامِلٍ بِوَضْعِهِ بِشَرْطِهِ السَّابِقِ فَلَوْ مَاتَ صَبِيٌّ عَنْ حَامِلٍ فَبِالْأَشْهُرِ، وَكَذَا مَمْسُوحٌ إذْ لَا يَلْحَقُهُ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ، وَيَلْحَقُ مَجْبُوبًا بَقِيَ أُنْثَيَاهُ فَتَعْتَدُّ بِهِ، وَكَذَا مَسْلُولٌ بَقِيَ ذَكَرُهُ بِهِ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ وَلَوْ طَلَّقَ إحْدَى امْرَأَتَيْهِ وَمَاتَ قَبْلَ بَيَانٍ أَوْ تَعْيِينٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَمْ يَطَأْ اعْتَدَّتَا لِوَفَاةٍ، وَكَذَا إنْ وَطِئَ وَهُمَا ذَوَاتَا أَشْهُرٍ أَوْ أَقْرَاءٍ، وَالطَّلَاقُ رَجْعِيٌّ فَإِنْ كَانَ بَائِنًا اعْتَدَّتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ بِالْأَكْثَرِ مِنْ عِدَّةِ وَفَاةٍ وَثَلَاثَةٍ مِنْ أَقْرَائِهَا، وَعِدَّةُ الْوَفَاةِ مِنْ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْأَقْرَاءُ مِنْ الطَّلَاقِ وَمَنْ غَابَ وَانْقَطَعَ خَبَرُهُ لَيْسَ لِزَوْجَتِهِ نِكَاحٌ حَتَّى يُتَيَقَّنَ مَوْتُهُ أَوْ طَلَاقُهُ، وَفِي الْقَدِيمِ تَرَبَّصُ أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ تَعْتَدُّ لِوَفَاةٍ وَتَنْكِحُ، فَلَوْ حَكَمَ بِالْقَدِيمِ قَاضٍ نُقِضَ عَلَى الْجَدِيدِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَلَوْ نَكَحَتْ بَعْدَ التَّرَبُّصِ وَالْعِدَّةِ فَبَانَ مَيِّتًا صَحَّ عَلَى الْجَدِيدِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ وَيَجِبُ الْإِحْدَادُ عَلَى مُعْتَدَّةِ وَفَاةٍ، لَا رَجْعِيَّةٍ، وَيُسْتَحَبُّ لِبَائِنٍ، وَفِي قَوْلٍ يَجِبُ، وَهُوَ تَرْكُ لُبْسِ مَصْبُوغٍ لِزِينَةٍ وَإِنْ خَشُنَ، وَقِيلَ يَحِلُّ مَا صُبِغَ غَزْلُهُ ثُمَّ نُسِجَ، وَيُبَاحُ غَيْرُ مَصْبُوغٍ مِنْ قُطْنٍ وَصُوفٍ وَكَتَّانٍ، وَكَذَا إبْرَيْسَمٌ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَمَصْبُوغٌ لَا يُقْصَدُ لِزِينَةٍ، وَيَحْرُمُ حُلِيُّ ذَهَبٍ وَفِضَّةٍ وَكَذَا لُؤْلُؤٌ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، وَطِيبٌ فِي بَدَنٍ وَثَوْبٍ وَطَعَامٍ وَكُحْلٍ، وَاكْتِحَالٌ بِإِثْمِدٍ إلَّا لِحَاجَةٍ كَرَمَدٍ، وَإِسْفِيذَاجٍ وَدُمَامٍ، وَخِضَابِ حِنَّاءٍ، وَنَحْوِهِ، وَيَحِلُّ تَجْمِيلُ فِرَاشٍ وَأَثَاثٍ، وَتَنْظِيفٌ بِغَسْلِ نَحْوِ رَأْسٍ وَقَلْمٍ وَإِزَالَةِ وَسَخٍ قُلْت: وَيَحِلُّ امْتِشَاطٌ وَحَمَّامٌ إنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ خُرُوجٌ مُحَرَّمٌ، وَلَوْ تَرَكَتْ الْإِحْدَادَ عَصَتْ وَانْقَضَتْ الْعِدَّةُ كَمَا لَوْ فَارَقَتْ الْمَسْكَنَ، وَلَوْ بَلَغَتْهَا الْوَفَاةُ بَعْدَ الْمُدَّةِ كَانَتْ مُنْقَضِيَةً، وَلَهَا إحْدَادٌ عَلَى غَيْرِ زَوْجٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، وَتَحْرُمُ الزِّيَادَةُ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
The second kind of legal retirement is that prescribed for a woman
whoso marriage is dissolved by the death of her husband. It admits
of the following distinctions : —
. Where the widow is not pregnant. In this case the period of
legal retirement lasts for four months and ten days and nights for a
free woman, and half of this time for a slave ; it matters little whether
the marriage has been consummated or not. A widow who at the
moment of her husband's decease was already repudiated revocably
should accomplish her retirement as if her husband had died while the
marriage was still intact ; but the widow who has been repudiated
irrevocably should continue the retirement begun in consequence of
the repudiation.
. Where the widow is pregnant. She should then observe the legal
period of retirement until after her accouchement, subject to tho reser-
vations already mentioned with regard to a pregnant woman whose
marriage has been dissolved inter vivos . Consequently, a pregnant
widow whose husband was a minor should observe a retirement as if
she were not pregnant.
When a husband leaves two widows, of which ono has been repudiated
but it is not indicated which, they should both accomplish the legal
period of retirement for widows that are not pregnant, supposing that
there has been no consummation of then marriages. Where thero has
been consummation but the widows are not pregnant they need only
observe the ordinary retirement of widows that are not pregnant, if
the repudiation was revocable : but if in these circumstances the revoca-
tion was irrevocable, then both must observe either the ordinary retire-
ment of widows that are not pregnant or that of three periods of purity,
whichever be the longer. It must be remembered that the legal retire-
ment of widows commences from the husband’s death, but periods of
purity are calculated from the repudiation.
A wife whose husband is absent and who has heard no news of him
may not contract another union unless certain that he is dead or that
he has repudiated her. In his first period Shafii considered such a woman
as able to remarry after her husband has been absent for four years and
she has then observed a widow’s retirement ; but during his stay in
Egypt our Imam adopted the doctrine that even a judicial authorisation
after four years* absence and a period of retirement are insufficient to
render a remarriage unattackable. fBut he conceded, during his second
period, that a marriage effected in contravention of this rule is quite
legal if it subsequently appears that the former husband was dead beforo
its celebration.
A widow should be in mourning for her deceased husband during
her period of legal retirement, but a woman revocably repudiated need
not do so upon the dissolution of the marriage. On the other hand, this
mourning is commendable in the case of a woman irrevocably separated
inter vivos; one authority even maintains that it is de rigueur . A woman’s
mourning consists firstly in her abstaining from personal adornment in
bright-coloured clothing even of a coarse material ; although some
jurists permit her to wear material of which the threads are dyed first
and woven afterwards, whatever the colour may be. A woman in
mourning may legally wear all kinds of cloth, black or white, cotton,
wool, linen, or silk. Bright coloured stuff is not forbidden if not worn
for adornment. Secondly, a woman in mourning must wear no orna-
ments of gold or silver for pearl. She must abstain from perfumes on
the body, on the clothes, in food or in eye-wash, she must not paint her
eyes with antimony, except in case of necessity, c.g. if she is blear-eyed ;
nor must sho use white-lead nor unguents nor henna, etc. On the other
hand, there is no objection to her making use of an ornamented bed or
other objects, or to taking care of her person by washing her head, cutting
her nails, or removing the dirt from her skin or her clothes.
[She is also permitted to do her hail’ and go to the bath, provided this
is not a pretext for some unlawful outgoing. A woman who does not
observe mourning regarded as an obligatory act commits a sin, and
should terminate her period of legal retirement in the way to be ex-
plained in the next section when speaking of a woman who quits her
husband’s house during her period of legal retirement. A woman who
hears of her husband’s death or her repudiation after her period of retire-
ment is terminated, need not observe any f urther mourning. A woman
may wear mourning not only for her husband but also for other near male
relatives or for her master ; but this mourning may not exceed three
days.]
تَجِبُ سُكْنَى لِمُعْتَدَّةِ طَلَاقٍ وَلَوْ بَائِنٍ، إلَّا نَاشِزَةً وَلِمُعْتَدَّةِ وَفَاةٍ فِي الْأَظْهَرِ وَفَسْخٌ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ، وَتُسَكَّنُ فِي مَسْكَنٍ كَانَتْ فِيهِ عِنْدَ الْفُرْقَةِ، وَلَيْسَ لِلزَّوْجِ وَغَيْرِهِ إخْرَاجُهَا، وَلَا لَهَا خُرُوجٌ قُلْت: وَلَهَا الْخُرُوجُ فِي عِدَّةِ وَفَاةٍ، وَكَذَا بَائِنٌ فِي النَّهَارِ لِشِرَاءِ طَعَامٍ وَغَزْلٍ وَنَحْوِهِ، وَكَذَا لَيْلاً إلَى دَارِ جَارَةٍ لِغَزْلٍ وَحَدِيثٍ وَنَحْوِهِمَا بِشَرْطِ أَنْ تَرْجِعَ وَتَبِيتَ فِي بَيْتِهَا وَتَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ الْمَسْكَنِ لِخَوْفٍ مِنْ هَدْمٍ أَوْ غَرَقٍ أَوْ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا، أَوْ تَأَذَّتْ بِالْجِيرَانِ، أَوْ هَمَّ بِهَا أَذًى شَدِيدًا، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ وَلَوْ انْتَقَلَتْ إلَى مَسْكَنٍ بِإِذْنِ الزَّوْجِ فَوَجَبَتْ الْعِدَّةُ قَبْلَ وُصُولِهَا إلَيْهِ اعْتَدَّتْ فِيهِ عَلَى النَّصِّ أَوْ بِغَيْرِ إذْنٍ فَفِي الْأَوَّلِ، وَكَذَا لَوْ أَذِنَ ثُمَّ وَجَبَتْ قَبْلَ الْخُرُوجِ، وَلَوْ أَذِنَ فِي الِانْتِقَالِ إلَى بَلَدٍ فَكَمَسْكَنٍ، أَوْ فِي سَفَرِ حَجٍّ أَوْ تِجَارَةٍ ثُمَّ وَجَبَتْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَلَهَا الرُّجُوعُ وَالْمُضِيُّ، فَإِنْ مَضَتْ أَقَامَتْ لِقَضَاءِ حَاجَتِهَا ثُمَّ يَجِبُ الرُّجُوعُ لِتَعْتَدَّ الْبَقِيَّةَ فِي الْمَسْكَنِ وَلَوْ خَرَجَتْ إلَى غَيْرِ الدَّارِ الْمَأْلُوفَةِ فَطَلَّقَ وَقَالَ مَا أَذِنْت فِي الْخُرُوجِ صُدِّقَ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَلَوْ قَالَتْ: نَقَلْتَنِي فَقَالَ بَلْ أَذِنْت لِحَاجَةٍ صُدِّقَ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ وَمَنْزِلُ بَدَوِيَّةٍ وَبَيْتُهَا مِنْ شَعْرٍ كَمَنْزِلِ حَضَرِيَّةٍ وَإِذَا كَانَ الْمَسْكَنُ لَهُ وَيَلِيقُ بِهَا تَعَيَّنَ وَلَا يَصِحُّ بَيْعُهُ إلَّا فِي عِدَّةِ ذَاتِ أَشْهُرٍ فَكَمُسْتَأْجَرٍ، وَقِيلَ بَاطِلٌ، أَوْ مُسْتَعَارًا لَزِمَتْهَا فِيهِ، فَإِنْ رَجَعَ الْمُعِيرُ وَلَمْ يَرْضَ بِأُجْرَةٍ نُقِلَتْ، وَكَذَا مُسْتَأْجَرٌ انْقَضَتْ مُدَّتُهُ، أَوْ لَهَا اسْتَمَرَّتْ وَطَلَبَتْ الْأُجْرَةَ فَإِنْ كَانَ مَسْكَنُ النِّكَاحِ نَفِيسًا فَلَهُ النَّقْلُ إلَى لَائِقٍ بِهَا، أَوْ خَسِيسًا، فَلَهَا الِامْتِنَاعُ، وَلَيْسَ لَهُ مُسَاكَنَتِهَا وَلَا مُدَاخَلَتِهَا، فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي الدَّارِ مَحْرَمٌ لَهَا مُمَيِّزٌ ذَكَرٌ أَوْ لَهُ أُنْثَى أَوْ زَوْجَةٌ أُخْرَى، أَوْ أَمَةٌ، أَوْ امْرَأَةٌ أَجْنَبِيَّةٌ جَازَ وَلَوْ كَانَ فِي الدَّارِ حُجْرَةٌ فَسَكَنَهَا أَحَدُهُمَا وَالْآخَرُ الْأُخْرَى فَإِنْ اتَّحَدَتْ الْمَرَافِقُ كَمَطْبَخٍ وَمُسْتَرَاحٍ اُشْتُرِطَ مَحْرَمٌ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا، وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُغْلَقَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا مِنْ باب، وَأَنْ لَا يَكُونَ مَمَرُّ إحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى، وَسُفْلٌ وَعُلُوٌّ كَدَارٍ وَحُجْرَةٍ
A woman who has been repudiated, even irrevocably, may insist
upon her husband’s giving her a suitable home during her period of
legal retirement, unless she is rebellious to marital authority. *This
right is accorded also to the widow, and, according to our school, to the
wife whose marriage has been dissolved by reason of redhibitory defects,
etc. The woman must spend her period of legal retirement in the house
or in the apartment in which she was living at the moment of separation,
and no one has a right to oblige her to remove elsewhere. Neither lias
she on her side the right to leavo the houso of her own accord.
[She may go out in the day-time, if tho retirement is due to her
husband’s decease or to an irrevocable repudiation, provided these out-
goings are for some lawful object, e.g. to buy provisions, thread, etc.
She may even go out of an evening to visit one of her neighbours in order
to spin together, or have a talk, etc. ; but she must return home to
sleep. She has the right to remove only if she is afraid the house is
going to fall down, or, in case of a flood, or if her lifo is in danger, or her
neighbours are troublesome, or even if her presence is very disagreeable
to them.]
A removal, authorised by the husband, results in the woman being
obliged to accomplish her period of retirement in the house he assigns
her, at least where tho cause of the retirement already existed at the
time of tho removal. This is Shafii’s personal opinion. On the other
hand, she should return to tho house originally occupied to accomplish
her retirement there if she has removed without authorisation, or if the
authorisation was given before the cause of the retirement existed, or
after the removal took place. An authorisation given to a wife to take
up her residence in another town has the same legal consequences as
one given her to remove ; but if the authorisation to remove elsewhere
referred only to a journey undertaken either to perform the pilgrimage
or for commerce, and the cause of retirement occurred on the way, the
woman may either return to her domicile and accomplish her retirement
there, or continue her journey while observing the retirement. In the
latter case, however, she must, after attaining the object of her journey
and finishing her business, return home and remain in retirement for the
number of days still to be observed. When a woman goes to a house
other than her domicile, and her husband repudiates her on the ground
that the removal was unauthorised, there is a legal presumption in favour
of the husband’s assertion, provided he takes an oath. Our school
admits a similar presumption in the husband’s favour where the woman
maintains that he authorised her to remove, while he alleges that he
merely allowed her to go out on some business. The dwellings of nomads,
and even their tents, are subject to the same law as fixed abodes.
When the husband owns a house in which his wife can suitably
accomplish her period of legal retirement, he should assign it to her for
that purpose, and cannot sell it, even by a fixed date, unless his wife
calculates her period of retirement by months, and consequently he
knows the exact date by which the house will bo again at his disposal.
In this latter case a sale by a certain date is permitted, in the same way
as the sale of a house rented to a third party ; only a few authorities
consider such a sale as absolutely null under any circumstances. If a
husband allots for the legal retirement of his wife a house lent him by
another person, the woman should accept it ; but if the lender asks for
it back before the end of the period of legal retirement, and will not lend
it any longer, even for a rent, the husband should allot his wife another
house. The question of a house rented by the husband, where the
lease expires before the end of the retirement, must be decided in accord-
ance with the same principles. If the wife consents to accomplish her
retirement in a house belonging to her, she may insist upon the husband
paying her a rent for the time she is in it with that object. If the
conjugal domicile is of great value, the husband may assign another
for his wife’s retirement, provided it is a suitable one. On her side
the woman may refuse to spend her retirement in any house, even
if it be the conjugal domicile, if it is not a suitable house for her to
live in.
A husband has no right to remain in the house where his wife is in
retirement, nor even to enter it, unless with her consent, or if it is a house
inhabited by her in common with —
. One of her own relatives within the prohibited degrees, who has
attained the age of discernment ; or
. One of his female relatives within the prohibited degrees, who has
attained the age of discernment ; or
. Another wife of her husband, or his female slave.
A husband may even lodge his wife against her will in an apartment
separated from the other parts of the house where he lodges another
wife, at least, if the wife in retirement has with her some relative within
the prohibited degrees, or if it is an apartment with separate kitchen
and latrines. But in this case it is commendable that the doors between
these apartments should be locked, and that there should be no other
means of communication. An upper storey assigned for a wife’s legal
retirement is to be regarded in the same way, with reference to the lower
storey, as an apartment separated from the rest of a house.
باب الِاسْتِبْرَاءِ
BOOK .— PERIOD OF WAITING OF A SLAVE
A waiting for purification is
obligatory in the two following cases
: —
. A man who becomes the
owner of a female slave by purchase,
succession, donation, right of booty,
redhibition, judicial oath, can-
cellation
by agreement, may not lawfully cohabit
with her by virtue
of right of
ownership until she has accomplished
her days of waiting,
whether she
be a virgin or not. This period
of waiting must be observed
even
though the seller abstained from
cohabiting with her for a sufficient
period, or she was obtained from
a minor, or a woman, or any other
person
incapable of coition. This
period of waiting is also cle
rigueur where a
female slave
undergoing emancipation by contract is
unable to fulfil the
engagement
entered into by her with her
master, and is consequently
reduced to
slavery ; fand also where a female
slave after abjuring Islam
repents of
her errors and so becomes again
her master’s property. On
the other
hand, the period of waiting is
not observed if the right of
cohabitation has been suspended by
some accidental circumstance,
e.g. fasting,
religious retirement, or ihram ; though
as to this last circum-
stance
authorities are not agreed. Waiting is
commendable where one
purchases a slave
with whom one is already engaged
in the bonds of
matrimony ; some
jurists even declare it to be
obligatory in this case ;
but it
is not necessary in a case where
one purchases a slave already
married
or observing her period of legal
retirement, as then cohabitation
with
her by virtue of ownership would
be quite illicit. *But an obliga-
tion
to observe a period of waiting revives
at the dissolution of the
marriage
or the end of the period of
retirement.
. A female slave who
has cohabited with her master, or a
woman
enfranchised by reason of
maternity, may not marry until after
observing
a period of waiting from the
moment when they cease to be
obliged to
share their master’s bed,
whether he has enfranchised them
unrestrictedly
or they have obtained
their liberty upon his decease, f A
woman en-
franchised by reason of
maternity should observe a period of waiting
even where her master, freeing
her unrestrictedly or dying, has not
cohabited with her for a sufficient
time.
[A female slave who after
sharing her master’s bed is freed
by him
and left untouched during
her period of waiting, need not
observe any
fur tli or period of
waiting, but may lie at once
given in marriage, as her
condition
offers no resemblance to that of a
married slave.]
One may not give
in marriage either a female slave with
whom one
has cohabited, nor one
enfranchised by reason of maternity,
until they
have observed the
prescribed period of waiting ; fbut if
the master
himself wishes to marry
his female slave enfranchised by
reason of
maternity, he may do
so at once. Nor is there any
need for waiting
where a slave
enfranchised by reason of maternity,
after having been
given in marriage
to another, obtains her full liberty,
either by simple
enfranchisement by
her master, or by his death, for
cohabitation with a
slave so
emancipated was already forbidden him.
The period of waiting for a
female slave having ordinary menstruation
is composed of a single period
of purity, i.e. it terminates after a
single
regular menstruation. This at
least was maintained by Shafii in his
second period. As to a slave
whose period of legal retirement is
cab
dilated by months the period
of waiting consists of a single month
; or,
according to one authority, of
three months ; while a pregnant woman,
reduced to slavery in war, and a
pregnant slave with whom her master
has ceased to cohabit, should
observe a period of waiting until the
accouchement. As to a purchased slave,
pregnant by marriage, we have
already
found that she need not observe
the ordinary period of waiting
until
after the dissolution of the marriage.
[fAn accouchement resulting from
the crime of fornication has the
same consequence as one resulting
from lawful cohabitation.]
If one
becomes owner of a female slave whose
period of waiting has
expired between
the date of the conveyance and
the taking of possession,
it may
be taken into consideration where the
ownership is acquired by
inheritance
for purchase, but not in the
case of a gift. Where one
purchases a
slave with whom cohabitation is
forbidden on some personal
account, e.g .
if she be a fire-worshipper, it is
not enough that she has her
menstrues after her acquisition, nor
that the cause of prevention ceases,
e.g. by her conversion ; she
must observe her period of waiting
before
one may cohabit with her.
The period of waiting results
in rendering unlawful any corporal
enjoyment of the master with the
slave in question ; but a woman
reduced to slavery in war,
though she must abstain from coition
with
her new master, may permit
herself other voluptuous acts, though some
authorities maintain that her
condition is identical with that of
other
slaves. Moreover, a simple declaration
by a female slave that she has
had her menstrues is sufficient
to establish a presumption in favour
of the truth of her words ; a
similar presumption exists in the master’s
favour if, after the slave
refuses to give herself to him,
he asserts that
she has already
told him her menstruation is over,
and her period of
waiting therefore
terminated.
A female slave is not
considered to have cohabited with her
master
in a legal sense unless coition
has really taken place ; and the child
born of this cohabitation has
the master for his father, provided
the
accouchement takes place at a time
admitting of such paternity. Our
school, however, allows the master a
right to disavow the child, while
admitting the coition, if he can
allege in favour of his statement the
fact that after coition the
slave observed her period of waiting ;
but if
in this case the slave
denies the period of waiting the
master must assert
upon oath that
the child is not his. Some
jurists even insist that the
master
must also allege the facts from
which it can be concluded that
the period of waiting really
took place. ffThere is no need
for the
master's oath where he
denies cohabiting with his slave vrho
maintains
her enfranchisement by reason
of maternity, for she then has no
presumption in her favour, even
if the fact of the accouchement is
proved. []