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What is the ruling on swearing an oath of divorce upon one's wife if she intentionally lies to her husband, especially when the husband believes that his wife is lying about her spending and claiming that he does not remember her expenses, and what is the ruling on a wife lying in her daily life in general?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If a husband swears to divorce his wife should she lie to him about her financial expenditures, most scholars hold that the divorce takes effect the moment the wife breaks her oath, regardless of whether the husband intended divorce or merely a threat. However, some scholars (such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah) believe that if the husband did not intend to effect a divorce but rather intended a threat, then the divorce does not occur, and he is only required to pay an expiation for an oath (kaffarat yamin). The husband is obligated to spend on his wife, and she is not required to spend from her own private wealth unless she does so willingly. Her earnings from her work are her sole right, unless there are prior conditions. One should beware of swearing by divorce, as it is among the oaths of the dissolute. It is advisable to consult scholars to clarify the intention and seek further details.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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