in many of their rulings, and this is one of them, so they are subject to [the principle of] half. Our position is based on the words of Allah Almighty: "And those who perform zihar from their wives" (44), for He specifically mentioned them. Also, because this is an expression related to the prohibition of a wife; therefore, a slave-woman does not become forbidden by it, just as is the case with divorce. Furthermore, zihar was considered a form of divorce in the pre-Islamic era, so its ruling was transferred [to the law], while its subject remained the same. Ahmad stated: Abu Qilabah and Qatadah said: Zihar was a form of divorce in the pre-Islamic era. It is narrated from Ahmad that one who performs zihar on his slave-woman must perform the expiation for zihar. Abu Bakr said: This does not hold according to his school of thought, for if there were an expiation for zihar upon him, it would be considered zihar. Instead, he is liable for the expiation of an oath, because it is the prohibition of something permissible from his property, so it carries the expiation of an oath, like prohibiting any other part of his property. Nafi' stated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited his slave-woman, so Allah commanded him to perform the expiation for his oath (47). It is possible that nothing is incumbent upon him, based on his position regarding a woman who says to her husband: "You are to me like the back of my mother," as nothing is incumbent upon her. If he says to his slave-woman: "You are forbidden to me," he is liable for the expiation of an oath, due to the words of Allah Almighty: "O Prophet, why do you prohibit what Allah has made lawful for you?" up to His words: "Allah has ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths" (49), which were revealed regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibiting his slave-woman, according to some of them. It can also be derived from the other narration that he is liable for the expiation of zihar, because prohibition constitutes zihar. The first [view] is the correct one, if Allah Almighty wills.

Section: Zihar is valid if it is time-bound, such as if he says: "You are to me like the back of my mother for a month," or "until the month of Ramadan passes." When the time expires, the zihar ends, and the woman becomes lawful (50) without expiation, and it is not considered to be a return [to the relationship] except (48) by having intercourse during that period. This is the view of Ibn Abbas, Ata, Qatadah, al-Thawri, Ishaq, Abu Thawr, and one of the two views of al-Shafi'i. His other view is that it is not