What is the ruling of Islamic law regarding someone who swore to renounce his religion and divorce his wife if a specific man entered his house, and then this man did enter his house out of necessity? Does the divorce take effect, or is an expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat yameen) or an expiation for dhihar (kaffarat dhihar) obligatory? And what should he do to please Allah?

Swearing by divorce is not permissible because it is swearing by other than Allah, and it is an oath of the wicked. There are two scenarios for swearing by it: The first: Intending divorce. In this case, it occurs upon the fulfillment of the condition. The second: Intending an oath without divorce. The majority of scholars hold that the divorce takes place. However, Shaykh al-Islam was of the opinion that it is an oath for which expiation is due.

As for swearing by exiting the religion, it is more severely forbidden. An oath is not constituted by it, and the one who utters it must repent and seek forgiveness.

The questioner must offer sincere repentance and desist from swearing by other than Allah. His wife has been divorced from him, and he may take her back if this divorce has not completed the three divorces.

If he swore by Allah that a man would not enter his house, and the man entered, then an expiation for an oath is due from him, along with the divorce of his wife and the obligation of repentance.

The expiation for an oath is feeding ten poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a slave, or fasting three days if he cannot find any of the above.