Is the claim of intention to specify one wife accepted when making a general oath regarding co-wives?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of the Oath of Abstention (Ila')

Book 41 · Issue 3 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the husband claims he intended to specify a particular wife when he swore the oath, his claim is accepted, and his oath becomes contingent upon that specific wife. If he has intercourse with the specified wife, her co-wives are divorced. If he has intercourse with any wife other than the specified one, none of the wives are divorced, and he is only considered to have made an oath of abstinence (*Muli*) concerning the specified wife, as only intercourse with her triggers the divorce ruling for the others.