Fatwa No : 83673
Ruling on the Nikah by saying "“We are long-lost brother and sister”"

Ruling on the Nikah by saying "“We are long-lost brother and sister”"

After the *nikah* (marriage), a husband and wife were chatting over text messages. While talking about their likes and dislikes, the wife said, “I like *aloo gosht* (potato and meat curry).” The husband replied, “I also like *aloo gosht* a lot; it seems we are like long-lost brother and sister.”
On another occasion, when they were again talking about their preferences, the husband said, “Today, you seem like my sister.”
The wife asked, “Why did you say that?”
The husband replied, “Because our likes are so similar.”
Now, the question is: if a husband says such things to his wife, like “Today you seem like my sister,” does it have any effect on their *nikah* (marriage)? Does it count as *talaq* (divorce) or separation in any way? Or should it simply be understood as a joke or a figurative expression?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be made clear that although it is Makruh (disliked) and inappropriate for a husband to refer to his wife as a sister, and he should avoid doing so, such words have no effect on the validity of the Nikah (marriage) and do not cause any separation.
Therefore, in the mentioned case, the husband’s use of those words toward his wife does not affect the marriage in any way the Nikah remains valid and intact. However, the husband should refrain from using such expressions in the future.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار: ویکرہ قولہ أنت امی و یا ابنتی و یا اختی ونحو الخ
وفی الشامیۃ تحت: (قولہ: ویکرہ الخ) جزم بالکراھۃ تبعاً للبحر والنھر والذی فی الفتح: وفی أنت أمی لا یکون مظاھراً وینبغی أن یکون مکروھاً قد صرحوا بأن قولہ لزوجتہ یا أخیۃ مکروہ وفیہ حدیث رواہ ابوداؤد "أن رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم فسمع رجلا یقول لإمرأتہ یا أخیۃ فکرہ ذلک ونھی عنہ" ومعنی النھی قربہ من لفظ التشبیہ، ولو لا ھذا الحدیث لأمکن أن یقال ھو ظھار الخ(کتاب الطلاق، باب الظھار، ج 3، ص 470، ط: سعید)۔
وفی الفتاوی الھندیۃ: لو قال لھا أنت أمی لا یکون مظاھراً وینبغی أن یکون مکروھاً ومثلہ أن یقول یا ابنتی و یا أختی ونحوہ ولو قال لھا أنت علی مثل أمی أو کأمی ینوی فان نوی الطلاق وقع بائنا، وان نوی الکرامۃ أو الظھار فکما نوی، ھکذا فی فتح القدیر، وان لم تکن لہ نیۃ فعلی قول أبی حنیفۃ رحمہ اللہ تعالی لا یلزمہ شیئ حملا للفظ علی معنی الکرامۃ کذا فی الجامع الصغیر الخ(کتاب الطلاق، الفصل التاسع فی الظھار، ج 1، ص 507، ط: ماجدیۃ)۔