What is the ruling on prohibiting one's female slave by saying 'You are forbidden to me' (Tahrim)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Zihar
Primary text
If a man says to his female slave, 'You are forbidden to me' (Anti 'alayya haram), the expiation of an oath (Kaffarah Yamin) is incumbent upon him. This is supported by the saying of Allah the Almighty: {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you?} (Quran 66:1) leading to {Allah has already ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths} (Quran 66:2), which some commentators state was revealed concerning the Prophet prohibiting himself from his female slave. The soundest position is that this entails only the expiation of an oath.
Supporting text
There is a possibility that nothing is obligatory, based on the ruling when a woman says to her husband, 'You are to me like the back of my father.' Another position suggests that the expiation of Zihar should be due because the prohibition (Tahrim) constitutes Zihar.