Can the husband retract his oath: "By triple divorce, you will not work for your family again"? Is expiation permissible from the wife's money, and what is its amount? Does the oath include actions that occurred before the oath was taken?

A husband cannot retract an oath of divorce. If he breaks it, the divorce occurs. Divorce pronounced with the phrase "three divorces" counts as three. Anger that does not completely remove one's sanity does not prevent the divorce from occurring. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah held the view that if an oath of divorce is not intended to effect divorce but rather to threaten, then if the oath is broken, the one who swore it must offer an expiation for breaking an oath, and no divorce occurs. He also held that divorce pronounced with the phrase "three divorces" counts as one.

The fatwa (definition) that is relied upon is that a triple divorce irrevocably severs the marital bond (baynunah kubra) if the husband breaks his oath.

Intention in an oath specifies the general and restricts the absolute. If the husband intended to prevent his wife from working on all matters concerning her family, then he breaks his oath if she completes the work. If he only intended to prevent her from working in the future, then he does not break his oath by her completing the work. If he had no specific intention, then the reference point is the reason for the oath.

The husband is advised to refrain from swearing by divorce, as it is among the oaths of the wicked. The legislated oath is swearing by Allah the Almighty.