Is expiation incumbent upon the wife or the husband if the husband swears an oath by Allah upon his wife that she not cut her hair, but she cuts it because her hair bothers her, given that she is pregnant and wears a hijab, and what is her sin?

The questioner must offer expiation for the oath because he swore by Allah and then broke it, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Whoever swears an oath and then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath."

The sin of the oath is removed by expiation. As for the sin of the wife in not obeying her husband, it is great, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "If I were to order anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband. By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, a woman does not fulfill the right of her Lord until she fulfills the entire right of her husband, even if he asks her for herself while she is on a camel saddle, she should not refuse him."

The questioner is advised not to swear oaths against his wife in such matters, and to engage in mutual advice and consultation with her.