A man had a guest visit him and swore to slaughter a sacrificial animal for him, but the guest became angry and left. What is the ruling?
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The questioner : A questioner says: A man came to him and swore to provide him with dinner, and he also swore to slaughter an animal for him, saying, "By Allah, I will slaughter a sacrificial animal for you." But they refused and left. What is his obligation in this matter?
The Shaykh : First, we advise our brothers to refrain from rushing into oaths, or binding people to obligations such as providing dinner, coffee, or the like. If they wish to honor their brother, they should do so without an oath. If they do swear, they should append the phrase "if Allah wills" to their oath, because one who says "if Allah wills" in his oath does not break it.
We also advise our brothers who have been sworn upon to fulfill this man's oath, because it is the right of a Muslim over his brother to fulfill his oath and not cause him to break it.
However, if there is stubbornness from both these parties and those parties, the one who swore is the one who owes the expiation. That is, if he is caused to break his oath and the person for whom he swore leaves, he owes the expiation. So these people who swore to their guests should have stayed, but if they left and abandoned them, they must perform the expiation for a broken oath. This is freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing them. Whoever cannot find the means to do so must fast for three consecutive days.
The Shaykh : First, we advise our brothers to refrain from rushing into oaths, or binding people to obligations such as providing dinner, coffee, or the like. If they wish to honor their brother, they should do so without an oath. If they do swear, they should append the phrase "if Allah wills" to their oath, because one who says "if Allah wills" in his oath does not break it.
We also advise our brothers who have been sworn upon to fulfill this man's oath, because it is the right of a Muslim over his brother to fulfill his oath and not cause him to break it.
However, if there is stubbornness from both these parties and those parties, the one who swore is the one who owes the expiation. That is, if he is caused to break his oath and the person for whom he swore leaves, he owes the expiation. So these people who swore to their guests should have stayed, but if they left and abandoned them, they must perform the expiation for a broken oath. This is freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing them. Whoever cannot find the means to do so must fast for three consecutive days.