What is the ruling regarding a husband who, while angry, swore an oath that his second wife is forbidden to him like his daughters, especially since he has not provided for her maintenance and had divorced her twice before, despite her bearing the household expenses from her own money?

The ruling concerning a man's statement to his wife, "You are unlawful to me like my daughter," depends on his intention. If he intended to make her forbidden to him, then it is ẓihār, and he must pay the kaffārat al-ẓihār (expiation for ẓihār), which is: freeing a slave. If he cannot find one, then fasting for two consecutive months. If he is unable to do that, then feeding sixty poor people. This is the view of Imam Ahmad and some scholars. Some others have held that it is a divorce if he intended divorce. If he merely intended to threaten, then he must pay kaffārat yamīn (expiation for breaking an oath) if he breaks his word. This is the choice of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim. Sexual intercourse and its preliminaries are forbidden to him before performing the expiation. The husband's anger does not prevent the ruling as long as he is conscious of what he is saying. The husband must fear Allah in his words and in his wealth, and he must fulfill his duty to work to support his family.