The issue of zihar and the story of Salamah bin Sakhr

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah bin Sakhr al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him); he relates: I was a man who had been given (unusual strength and desire) in intimacy with women such as no one else had been given. When the month of Ramadan began, I made "zihar" against my wife (that is, I declared her like my mother's back), out of fear that I might do something (intimate) with her during some part of the night and it would then carry on until morning came and I would not be able to restrain myself. One night she was serving me when part of her body became uncovered to me, and I (overcome by desire) leapt upon her. When morning came, I went to my people and told them what had happened. I said: "Come with me to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." They said: "No, by Allah! We will not go with you. We fear that Qur'an may be revealed about us, or that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) may say something about us whose shame would remain upon us. So go yourself and do as you see fit." So I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him the whole story. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Are you that man?" I said: I am that man, so pass the judgement of Allah upon me; I will be patient and hope for reward. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Free a slave." I struck the back of my neck with my hand and said: By the One who sent you with the truth! I own nothing but this (my own self). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fast for two consecutive months." I said: O Messenger of Allah! Did what befell me not befall me only because of fasting (for I made zihar out of fear of breaking the fast, and it was during the fast that my desire overcame me)? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then feed sixty poor people." I said: O Messenger of Allah! By the One who sent you with the truth! We spent this night in such a state that we had nothing for supper. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go to the one in charge of the charity of Banu Zurayq, and he will give it to you. Feed sixty poor people one wasq (roughly 180 kilograms of grain) from it, and use the rest to help your family." Then I returned to my people and said: I found narrowness with you.
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs did not record it. It has a supporting narration (shahid) from Yahya bin Abi Kathir from Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman, except that in it he said "Salman bin Sakhr" (instead of Salamah).

It is narrated from Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman and Muhammad bin Abd al-Rahman bin Thawban that Sayyiduna Salman bin Sakhr al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) made zihar against his wife (that is, he declared her like his mother's back). Then the narrator mentioned a hadith similar to it (concerning the expiation).
This chain of transmission is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs, but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who had made zihar against his wife but had had intercourse with her before paying the expiation. He said: "O Messenger of Allah! I made zihar against my wife, but I was intimate with her before the expiation." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on you, what drove you to that?" He said: "I saw her anklet (khalkhal) in the moonlight." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then do not go near her until you have done (the expiation) that Allah has commanded."
Its supporting narration (shahid) is the hadith of Isma'il bin Muslim from Amr bin Dinar. Although the two Shaykhs did not use Isma'il or al-Hakam bin Aban as evidence, al-Hakam bin Aban is a truthful (saduq) narrator.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man made zihar against his wife, then on a moonlit night he saw her anklet, it pleased him, and he had intercourse with her. Then he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned the whole matter. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: 'Before they touch one another' [Surah al-Mujadilah: 3]." He said: "(Intercourse on my part) has already happened." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Now refrain (from further intimacy) until you have paid the expiation."