Chapter: If one breaks an oath while in a state of forgetfulness

Question : If one breaks an oath while in a state of forgetfulness, and the saying of Allah the Exalted:

Answer : Here, we must know that swearing an oath regarding the past does not involve an expiation; rather, it involves either sin or being free from blame. The sin may be a major sin or less than that. So there are three categories: being free from blame, sin that is less than a major sin, and sin that is a major sin. There is no expiation for this; every oath regarding the past is the case. If you say, "By Allah, I did not do such-and-such," it does not escape three situations: either you did not do it, in which case you are free from blame; or you did it, but it did not involve cutting off the wealth of a Muslim, in which case you are sinful, but it is less than a major sin; or it involves cutting off the wealth of a Muslim, by saying, "By Allah, I did not do such-and-such," meaning, for example, "By Allah, I did not break so-and-so's pen," while you actually broke it. This is a major sin. So what involves an expiation is the thing in the future.