Yahya related to me from Malik from Jafar ibn Muhammad from his father that Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "When a man takes a vow to abstain from intercourse, divorce does not occur immediately. If four months pass, he must declare his intent and either he is divorced or he revokes his vow . " Malik said, "That is what is done among us."  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِذَا آلَى الرَّجُلُ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ لَمْ يَقَعْ عَلَيْهِ طَلاَقٌ وَإِنْ مَضَتِ الأَرْبَعَةُ الأَشْهُرِ حَتَّى يُوقَفَ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يُطَلِّقَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَفِيءَ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَذَلِكَ الأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "When a man makes a vow to abstain from intercourse with his wife and four months have passed he must declare his intent and either he is divorced or he revokes his vow. Divorce does not occur until four months have passed and he continues to abstain."  

أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ آلَى مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا مَضَتِ الأَرْبَعَةُ الأَشْهُرِ وُقِفَ حَتَّى يُطَلِّقَ أَوْ يَفِيءَ وَلاَ يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ طَلاَقٌ إِذَا مَضَتِ الأَرْبَعَةُ الأَشْهُرِ حَتَّى يُوقَفَ