The false oath
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 15393 )
Q1: I have an elderly, blind aunt who cannot walk. She has a son who passed away, leaving behind three daughters and a son. The important point is that this son was working for one of the companies, and he was stricken with illness and passed away into the mercy of Allah. He asked me and my cousin (the son of his maternal aunt, who is my aunt’s son) to go to the court, as she wanted to inquire about his inheritance. Please note that he was an only child. I was asked to testify that his mother had passed away, because the court wanted some documents and papers to prove her right to his inheritance. For the record, she is between sixty years old and older, and she did not have any documents or papers proving her identity, and the court only accepts documents. To spare her the trouble and the hardship of transportation, and given her condition which does not allow for it, I was asked to swear an oath that she had passed away so that we could save her the trouble. I did not intend to swear the oath, because the clerk in the court told me: “You do not say anything other than that she has passed away,” and I did not know that I would be swearing an oath. My cousin entered before me and swore the oath, and I entered after him and was surprised when the judge said to me: “Swear the oath,” and I did so. My question is: How do I expiate for this sin of mine, which worries me greatly, and I am very much regretful? What should I do to expiate for my sin? May Allah reward you with good?
A1: You must return to the court where you and your companion testified and declare that each of you lied in the testimony, so that the judge can take the necessary action regarding the case. You both must repent to Allah the Exalted for the false oath that occurred. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q1: I have an elderly, blind aunt who cannot walk. She has a son who passed away, leaving behind three daughters and a son. The important point is that this son was working for one of the companies, and he was stricken with illness and passed away into the mercy of Allah. He asked me and my cousin (the son of his maternal aunt, who is my aunt’s son) to go to the court, as she wanted to inquire about his inheritance. Please note that he was an only child. I was asked to testify that his mother had passed away, because the court wanted some documents and papers to prove her right to his inheritance. For the record, she is between sixty years old and older, and she did not have any documents or papers proving her identity, and the court only accepts documents. To spare her the trouble and the hardship of transportation, and given her condition which does not allow for it, I was asked to swear an oath that she had passed away so that we could save her the trouble. I did not intend to swear the oath, because the clerk in the court told me: “You do not say anything other than that she has passed away,” and I did not know that I would be swearing an oath. My cousin entered before me and swore the oath, and I entered after him and was surprised when the judge said to me: “Swear the oath,” and I did so. My question is: How do I expiate for this sin of mine, which worries me greatly, and I am very much regretful? What should I do to expiate for my sin? May Allah reward you with good?
A1: You must return to the court where you and your companion testified and declare that each of you lied in the testimony, so that the judge can take the necessary action regarding the case. You both must repent to Allah the Exalted for the false oath that occurred. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.