Is a wife forbidden to her husband if he tells her: "By Allah, you are forbidden to me until the Day of Judgment, and you are forbidden to me, and I will not approach you, even in intercourse, and even if it forces me to commit adultery, I will not approach you"?
The husband's statement, "He will not approach his wife even if he is forced into adultery," is a reprehensible act that requires repentance. His oath to abandon conjugal relations with his wife is considered an ila’ (vow of abstinence). If a husband swears not to approach his wife for a long period or until a future event occurs, and four months pass without intercourse, he is considered a mūlī (one who has made an ila’). He must then either fa’a (retract his oath and resume conjugal relations) or divorce. If the husband engages in intercourse after making such an oath, he must offer expiation for breaking an oath (kaffārat yamīn). If he continues to abstain from intercourse for more than four months, the wife has the right to bring the matter before a Sharia judge, who will compel the husband to either fa’a or divorce.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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