Chapter on Zihar (Declaring One's Wife Unlawful Like a Mother)

Jamil ibn Darraj asked Imam عليه السلام about ẓihar and when the obligation of expiation becomes due upon the one who declares it. Imam عليه السلام replied: "When he intends to have intercourse with his wife." I asked: "If he divorces her before having intercourse with her, is expiation still required of him?" Imam عليه السلام said: "No, the expiation is no longer required." I then asked: "If he begins fasting (as expiation) but becomes ill and breaks his fast, must he start over or continue from where he left off?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "If he fasted for a month and then became ill, he must start over. But if he fasted more than a month by a day or two, he should continue from where he left off." Imam عليه السلام also said: "The ruling for a free man and a slave is the same, except that a slave is obligated to fulfill half of what is required from a free man in terms of expiation."