سورة المجادلة

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The expiation for breaking an oath in the matter of zihar is fasting for two consecutive months, and its being consecutive is in this manner: that he fasts one complete month and also fasts at least a few days or a portion of the following month; but if an event befell him that forced him to break his fast, there is no objection to his breaking it and making up the remainder on another occasion. However, if he fasted the first month completely and then something happened to him that forced him to break his fast before fasting even one day of the following month, in this case consecutiveness has not been achieved and he must fast the whole thing again from the beginning.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): And fasting for two consecutive months in the expiation of zihar is obligatory upon the one who is unable to free a slave. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: فَمَن لَّمْ یَجِدْ فَصِیَامُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتَابِعَیْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن یَتَمَاسَّا [But whoever does not find (the means), then fasting for two consecutive months before they touch each other].

Fiqh al-Rida (peace be upon him): Fasting is of forty kinds: ten of them are obligatory, such as the fast of the blessed month of Ramadan; ten of them are forbidden to observe; fourteen kinds are optional — the person may choose to fast or to break the fast; three are called the fast of permission (idhn); and three are called the fast of discipline (ta'dib), which are: the fast of permission (ibaha), the fast of travel, and the fast of the sick. As for the obligatory fasts, they are: the fast of the blessed month of Ramadan; two consecutive months for one who has broken a day of the fast of Ramadan intentionally and deliberately, صِیَامُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتَابِعَیْنِ [fasting two consecutive months]; for one who has committed unintentional manslaughter and does not have the means to free a male or female slave, according to the verse: فَمَنْ لَمْ یَجِدْ فَصِیامُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتابِعَیْنِ [But whoever does not find the means, let him fast two consecutive months]; and two months of fasting for one upon whom the expiation of zihar is due and who does not have the ability to free a slave, according to the verse: فَمَنْ لَمْ یَجِدْ فَصِیامُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتابِعَیْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ یَتَمَاسَّا [But whoever does not find the means, let him fast two consecutive months before they touch each other].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): فَتَحْرِیرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن یَتَمَاسَّا [Then the freeing of a slave before they touch each other] — meaning before having intercourse with her.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Upon those for whom fasting is unbearable [such as the chronically ill, elderly men and elderly women], it is required to give expiation: to feed a needy person. (Baqarah/184); what the verse means is those who are aged though sound in health, and one who is overcome by [excessive] thirst — in place of the fast he gives redemption. فَمَنْ لَمْ یَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعامُ سِتِّینَ مِسْکِیناً [Then whoever is not able, let him feed sixty needy ones] — what the verse means is those who, on account of illness or thirst, are not able to fast sixty consecutive days.

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): فَمَنْ لَمْ یَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعامُ سِتِّینَ مِسْکِیناً [Then whoever is not able, let him feed sixty needy ones] — to each one a mudd of food; and if he cannot find it, he gives in charity whatever he is able to.

Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) — his letter in refutation and rejection of the doctrines of jabr (compulsion) and tafwid (delegation), and in establishing 'adl (justice) and the meaning of 'the station and rank between the two stations'... وَ الَّذِینَ یُظاهِرُونَ مِنْ نِسائِهِمْ ثُمَّ یَعُودُونَ لِما قالُوا فَتَحْرِیرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ یَتَمَاسَّا ذلِکُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ وَ اللهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبیرٌ فَمَنْ لَمْ یَجِدْ فَصِیامُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتابِعَیْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ یَتَمَاسَّا فَمَنْ لَمْ یَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعامُ سِتِّینَ مِسْکِیناً [And those who put away their wives by calling them their mothers, then wish to go back on what they have said, then [there is] the freeing of a slave before they touch each other; that is what you are admonished with, and Allah is Aware of what you do. But whoever does not find [the means], let him fast two consecutive months before they touch each other; and whoever is not able, let him feed sixty needy ones] — all of these are proof that Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has not imposed upon His servants any obligation beyond the capacity He has given them, and His prohibitions and restrictions likewise follow the same pattern. This is the meaning of 'the soundness and wholeness of creation.'

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): ذَلِکَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ تِلْکَ حُدُودُ اللهِ [That is in order that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and these are Allah's limits]; Allah the Mighty and Majestic made this punishment the limit of zihar.