and if he agrees that she swear in her own home, that too is acceptable.
An authorized slave takes the oath himself concerning any claim directed at him; his master does not swear on his behalf, nor may the master be required to do so.
People of the covenant—Jews and Christians—swear in the places they venerate, such as their churches and synagogues, invoking Allah just as Muslims do. It is commendable, moreover, to add for a Jew, “by Allah who sent down the Torah to Moses,” and for a Christian, “by Allah who sent down the Gospel to Jesus.”
If a litigant asks the judge for a brief respite before swearing, the judge should grant it so long as it is not clear that he is being obstinate or that granting the delay would cause harm.
When an oath is due from a party and he refuses, judgment is not entered against him merely for his refusal. Instead, the plaintiff is told, “Swear in light of his refusal and take what is yours.” Should the plaintiff then decline to swear, his claim lapses, and no ruling is made on the basis of the defendant’s refusal.
Anyone upon whom an oath becomes obligatory in a property dispute may, if he wishes, return the oath to the other party, and if he prefers to ransom himself from the oath, that is also permissible.
If a woman claims to be married to a man, or a man claims to be married to her, no oath is imposed on the one who denies the claim, nor does refusal to swear harm the denier. According to Mālik, this is not a situation in which the oath can be returned, for oaths have no place in establishing marriage: conclusive evidence is required. Even if one of them produces a single witness, judgment is not rendered on that basis. Should either party refuse the oath, he is not imprisoned over the matter of divorce.
If the dispute concerns the dowry—its amount, description, date of payment, delivery, receipt, or any related conditions—the oath is always upon the defendant, and the burden of proof rests with the claimant, just as in other financial rights. Yahyā relates from Ibn al-Qāsim a view that departs from this principle, but the distilled doctrine of the school is as I have set out for you.
When a woman alleges that her husband has divorced her, she has no right to demand an oath from him unless she produces a single witness. If she does produce such a witness, the husband must swear; but if he refuses, Mālik and his colleagues differ: some maintain that he is to be jailed indefinitely until he swears or divorces her, while others hold that his imprisonment should be prolonged for about a year or so, after which he is released.