“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the case of a man who expresses the statement of al- Zihar about his wife, then divorces her once. He (the Imam) said, ’If he has divorced her once al-Zihar becomes void and divorce abolishes al-Zihar.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if he goes back to her?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so. She is his wife and if he went back to her he will owe what a man who has expressed the statement of al-Zihar owes before they touch each other.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if he allows until her waiting period ends and she becomes free of the bonds of marriage, and he then marries her; if there is expiation for al-Zihar before they touch each other. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, there is no expiation because she became stranger to him and was free of the bonds of marriage.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if he expresses the statement of al-Zihar about his wife, then leaves her without touching except that he sees her naked without touching; if expiation becomes obligatory. He (the Imam) said, ‘She is his wife, his going to bed with her is not unlawful, however, what is obligatory on him is what is obligatory on those who expressed the statement of al-Zihar about their wives before going to bed with her who is his wife.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if she brings him before the Sultan and says, ‘This is my husband who has expressed the statement of al-Zihar about me and he has withheld me. He does not touch me for fear of expiation which is obligatory on those who express the statement of al-Zihar.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He (the sultan) cannot force him about the expiation of setting free of a slave or fasting for two consecutive months or feeding sixty destitute people if he is not able to set free a slave, fast for two consecutive months or feed sixty destitute people.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If he is able in setting free of a slave or fasting for two consecutive months or feeding sixty destitute people, then the Imam must make him ready for setting free a slave and charity before he touches her or after he touches her.’”