FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
IRSYAD HUKUM KE-74: ZIHAR
Does a husband's remark that his wife's face resembles her mother's face amount to zihar?
Short answer
Zihar means likening one's wife to a woman who is permanently forbidden to him in marriage, and it is forbidden and counted as a major sin.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Zihar means likening one's wife to a woman who is permanently forbidden to him in marriage, and it is forbidden and counted as a major sin. Scholars differ on the body part used in the comparison: the Maliki and Hanafi schools hold that comparing to the mother's head or face is not zihar, while Imam Syafie holds that a comparison other than to the back is not zihar if intended only as honour. The fatwa states the preferred view is that it falls under zihar because it likens her to a visible and prominent part, but the final ruling is referred to the court.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Hukum zihar adalah haram dan termasuk daripada dosa besar dan siapa yang melakukannya dianggap dosa dengan jimak.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM KE-74: ZIHAR”, 18 August 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/1916-irsyad-fatwa-ke-74-zihar. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/does-comparing-face-to-mother-count-as-zihar/