Hadith: I have seen more than ten of the Companions of the Messengers of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); they all stopped the 'Mūli' (the one who swore not to approach his wife intimately)

عن سليمان بن يَسَار رحمه الله أنه قال: "أدركت بِضْعَةَ عشر من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كلهم يُوقِفُ الْمُولِي".
[صحيح] - [رواه الشافعي والدارقطني]

Sulaymān ibn Yasār said: "I have seen more than ten of the Companions of the Messengers of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); they all stopped the 'Mūli'."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Ad-Daraqutny - Ash-Shaafi‘i]

Explanation

This citation attributed to Sulaymān ibn Yasār (may Allah have mercy upon him), who is one of the Tabi‘īn, indicates that a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) would stop and give respite to the Mūli. When four months were over, they would give the man the choice to either divorce his wife or return to her, that is, to have sex with her, so as to not harm her. Nevertheless, he has to expiate his oath of Ilā. According to the majority of the scholars, divorce does not become effective as soon as the four-month duration is over. Rather, the divorce must be pronounced so that it becomes effective. Finally, this tradition indicates that stopping the Mūli and giving respite to him was a famous ruling among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).