If a man swears an oath that his son will do a certain thing, but then the man changes his mind after a while and allows his son to do it, what is required of him?
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The questioner : From the questions of this questioner, he says: If a man swears an oath that his son will not do a certain thing, but then the man changes his mind after a while and allows his son to do it, what is required of him?
The Shaykh : He is only required to pay the expiation for the oath, which consists of three things: feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he does not find the means to do so, then there is a fourth option, which is to fast for three consecutive days. However, we must look at what he swore his son would not do. If it is forbidden, then it is not permissible for him to change his mind. For example, if he swears that his son will not smoke, then it is not permissible for the father to change his mind, because if he changes his mind, it means he has given him permission to smoke, and that is forbidden for him.
As for if it is permissible, such as if he swears that his son will not go on an outing with good people and then changes his mind, then in this case we say that he owes the expiation for the oath that we mentioned. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is...
The Shaykh : But by the way.
The questioner : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : I would like people not to swear oaths frequently. Then, when one needs to take an oath, let him combine it with the will of Allah and say, "By Allah, if Allah wills." Because if he combines it with the will of Allah, he benefits from two great benefits. The first benefit is that Allah will facilitate for him what he swore to do. The second benefit is that if it is not facilitated, the expiation is not required of him.
And the evidence for this is what came in the Sunnah, where the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) related to us that the Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) said one day, "I will surely go around to ninety women tonight, and each one of them will give birth to a boy who will fight in the cause of Allah." It was said to him, "Say, 'If Allah wills.'" But he did not say it because of the strength of his resolve. So he went around to the ninety women, all of them, and one of them gave birth to a half-person, a half-human, to make the servant know that the matter is in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For this reason, Allah said to His Prophet:[Al-Kahf 18:23-24] The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the story of Sulayman: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3856Sahih (Darussalam) meaning, if each one had given birth to a boy who would fight in the cause of Allah.
As for the second evidence, which is that if a person says "if Allah wills" and then breaks his oath, there is no expiation on him, it is established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that whoever swears an oath and says "if Allah wills," there is no breaking of the oath on him.
Therefore, it is recommended for every person who swears an oath about something to combine his oath with the will of Allah and say, "By Allah, if Allah wills," or "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such, if Allah wills," or "By Allah, I will certainly do this with the will of Allah," and the like. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : He is only required to pay the expiation for the oath, which consists of three things: feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he does not find the means to do so, then there is a fourth option, which is to fast for three consecutive days. However, we must look at what he swore his son would not do. If it is forbidden, then it is not permissible for him to change his mind. For example, if he swears that his son will not smoke, then it is not permissible for the father to change his mind, because if he changes his mind, it means he has given him permission to smoke, and that is forbidden for him.
As for if it is permissible, such as if he swears that his son will not go on an outing with good people and then changes his mind, then in this case we say that he owes the expiation for the oath that we mentioned. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is...
The Shaykh : But by the way.
The questioner : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : I would like people not to swear oaths frequently. Then, when one needs to take an oath, let him combine it with the will of Allah and say, "By Allah, if Allah wills." Because if he combines it with the will of Allah, he benefits from two great benefits. The first benefit is that Allah will facilitate for him what he swore to do. The second benefit is that if it is not facilitated, the expiation is not required of him.
And the evidence for this is what came in the Sunnah, where the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) related to us that the Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) said one day, "I will surely go around to ninety women tonight, and each one of them will give birth to a boy who will fight in the cause of Allah." It was said to him, "Say, 'If Allah wills.'" But he did not say it because of the strength of his resolve. So he went around to the ninety women, all of them, and one of them gave birth to a half-person, a half-human, to make the servant know that the matter is in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For this reason, Allah said to His Prophet:
(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ إِنّي فاعِلٌ ذلِكَ غَدًا * إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُIf he had said: 'If Allah wills,' he would not have broken his vow
لو قال إن شاء الله لم يحنثAs for the second evidence, which is that if a person says "if Allah wills" and then breaks his oath, there is no expiation on him, it is established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that whoever swears an oath and says "if Allah wills," there is no breaking of the oath on him.
Therefore, it is recommended for every person who swears an oath about something to combine his oath with the will of Allah and say, "By Allah, if Allah wills," or "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such, if Allah wills," or "By Allah, I will certainly do this with the will of Allah," and the like. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.