He answered:

If he enters his house, he does not break his oath, provided the circumstances are as described. This is because what was sworn to is intrinsically impossible—just as, according to the sounder of the two opinions, a person does not break his oath if he swears to drink the water in a particular vessel when it contains no water. Moreover, he swore only because he believed that his son had taken it, and the contrary became apparent. There is disagreement concerning cases of this kind as well, but the correct view is that the oath is not broken. Thus, on either of these two grounds, he does not break his oath.

The well-known case concerns someone who swears to something believing it to be as he has sworn, only for the contrary to become apparent. This involves ignorance of the very subject of the oath, whereas that involves ignorance of an attribute of its subject. And Allah knows best.

He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was asked:

A man’s mother swore that he must not reconcile with his wife, and that if he did, she would not speak to him again. What does the pure Sharia require regarding his situation, his wife’s welfare, and his mother’s situation?

He answered:

If he reconciles with his wife as Allah and His Messenger have commanded, his mother should speak to him and expiate her oath. Expiation for an oath consists of either freeing a slave, feeding ten poor people—giving each poor person two ritls of bread—or clothing ten poor people, giving each one a garment. The bread should be accompanied by something eaten with it, such as bananas, cheese, meat, or other foods. The man who swore the oath or his wife may offer the expiation on her behalf with her permission.