2173 - My father narrated to us, al-Musayyab b. Wadih narrated to us, Ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us, from Yahya b. Bishr, that he heard 'Ikrimah say: "For those who swear not to have sexual relations with their wives, there is a waiting time of four months. So if they return [to their wives], then indeed Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. But if they resolve to divorce..." He said: "That is a mercy which Allah has bestowed upon her, for He has given her ownership of her own affair, due to the expiration of the four months because he wronged her and caused her harm. And it is not permissible for a man to abandon his wife for four months except for a valid excuse, which is what Allah mentioned: 'And [as for] those from whom you fear arrogance, advise them, and forsake them in bed.'"

2174 - Abu Muhammad said: It was reported from 'Ali b. Abi Talib (in one of his narrations), 'Abd Allah b. Mas'ud, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar (in one of his narrations), Ibn al-Hanafiyyah, Sa'id b. al-Musayyib, Abu Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahman, Abu Salamah, Salim b. 'Abd Allah, Qabisah b. Dhu'ayb, Masruq, Muhammad b. Sirin, Sa'id b. Jubayr, 'Ata', al-Hasan, Ibrahim, Jabir b. Zayd, 'Ikrimah, Makhul, al-Zuhri, and Ibn Shubruma, that they said: "When four months have passed, it is a divorce."

The second interpretation:

2175 - Muhammad b. Isma'il al-Ahmasi narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us, from Sufyan, from al-Shaybani, from Bukayr b. al-Akhnas, from Mujahid, from 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Layla, from 'Ali, that he used to say: "The one who swears an oath of abstinence (al-muli) is to be detained [until he makes a decision]."

Abu Muhammad said: It is reported from 'Uthman (in one of his narrations), Ibn 'Umar (in one of his narrations), 'Aishah, Abu al-Darda', Ibn 'Abbas, Sahl b. Sa'd, al-Sha'bi, Sa'id b. al-Musayyib (in one of his narrations), Sulayman b. Yasar, al-Qasim b. Muhammad, 'Urwah b. al-Zubayr, Tawus, and Abu Mijlaz, that they said: "The one who swears an oath of abstinence is to be detained."

2176 - Hajjaj b. Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, regarding His saying: "For those who swear not to have sexual relations with their wives, there is a waiting time of four months." He said: "Mujahid used to say: 'When four months have passed, he is to be detained until he either returns to his wife or divorces her.'"