Q: My problem is that there was an argument between my wife and my sister, (Part No. 20; Page No. 91) during which they exchanged some meaningless words. When I sat with my wife and my sister to understand what they had said, they both swore that they had not said them. My wife said that my sister told her that she used to talk on the phone. When I asked my sister about it, she denied saying such a thing. I became so angry that I uttered something that I had not intended to say. I said, “My wife will be Haram (forbidden) for me if I enter your house again.” (Meaning my sister’s and her husband’s house) When my family learned of this, they became angry and said they would not come to my house, unless I went to my brother-in-law’s. The last time I went to my brother-in-law’s house was about three months ago, as my sister always visits us but we do not visit her. Please advise us.

A: If the reality is as you mentioned and you intended by declaring your wife Haram to you to divorce your wife if you enter your sister’s and brother-in-law’s house, you have divorced your wife by one pronouncement effecting Talaq (divorce pronounced by a husband) if you have entered their house. You can take your wife back in marriage if she is still in her ‘Iddah (woman’s prescribed waiting period after divorce or widowhood) and it is not the last and third irrevocable pronouncement of Talaq. However, if you just intended to prevent yourself from entering their house and not to divorce your wife, if you enter their house you have to perform the Kaffarah (expiation) for breaking oath which is feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a believing slave. If you cannot do that, you have to observe Sawm (Fasting) for three days. (Part No. 20; Page No. 92) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.