The Oath of Immersion
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Expiation for Repeated Oaths
Question: If a person swears that he will not do something, then does it, then swears again and does it, and perhaps a third time, what is the ruling? Is he required to perform one expiation or several?
Answer: If he repeats oaths by Allah the Mighty and Majestic regarding one single matter before breaking them, he is required to perform one expiation for all of them.
However, if he swears, then breaks the oath, then swears a second time regarding the same matter, he is required to perform a second expiation. And so on...
And if it is intentional, it is the oath of immersion. It is called that because it immerses its owner in sin, and then in the Fire. It is among the major sins. Likewise, the oath one takes to promote his goods in buying and selling while lying, such as swearing that he was given such and such a price for it, or that it is of good quality, or the like. If one takes oaths to promote his goods while lying, this is of the oath of immersion. It is obligatory for the Muslim to beware of it and avoid it. A severe warning was reported regarding the one who makes Allah his merchandise, selling nothing but with an oath and buying nothing but with an oath, and it was reported that it destroys the blessing.
So the conclusion is that the Muslim is in no need of such a thing. There is blessing in truthfulness, and there is destruction of blessing and sins in deception and fraud.
Question: If a person swears that he will not do something, then does it, then swears again and does it, and perhaps a third time, what is the ruling? Is he required to perform one expiation or several?
Answer: If he repeats oaths by Allah the Mighty and Majestic regarding one single matter before breaking them, he is required to perform one expiation for all of them.
However, if he swears, then breaks the oath, then swears a second time regarding the same matter, he is required to perform a second expiation. And so on...
And if it is intentional, it is the oath of immersion. It is called that because it immerses its owner in sin, and then in the Fire. It is among the major sins. Likewise, the oath one takes to promote his goods in buying and selling while lying, such as swearing that he was given such and such a price for it, or that it is of good quality, or the like. If one takes oaths to promote his goods while lying, this is of the oath of immersion. It is obligatory for the Muslim to beware of it and avoid it. A severe warning was reported regarding the one who makes Allah his merchandise, selling nothing but with an oath and buying nothing but with an oath, and it was reported that it destroys the blessing.
So the conclusion is that the Muslim is in no need of such a thing. There is blessing in truthfulness, and there is destruction of blessing and sins in deception and fraud.