What is the ruling on an oath if a person runs a traffic light and swears that he did not run it in order to escape the fine?
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The Shaykh : Ask.
The questioner : A person ran the light...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : A person ran the traffic light.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the traffic police stopped him, meaning they said to him: Why did you run the light, O Shaykh? So he swore that he did not run it, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : He did not run it.
The questioner : He wants to escape the fine, O Shaykh. What is his ruling? Does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The Shaykh : No, there is no expiation for an oath regarding something that has already passed. There is no expiation for it. But either there is sin if he was lying, or he is safe if he was truthful.
The questioner : No, he means he ran it, but even so...
The Shaykh : I will tell you a rule that benefits everyone: any oath regarding something that has already passed does not require an expiation. If you said, "By Allah, so-and-so did not come," and he actually did come, you do not have to pay an expiation. Understand this rule. This man says, "By Allah, I did not run it." It is something that has passed, so we say: he does not have to pay an expiation. But either he is sinful if he was lying, or he is safe. In the case you mentioned, he is sinful because he swore that he did not run it while he actually did run it.
Then, on this occasion, I would like to advise our brothers, the drivers and others, not to run traffic lights, because it is a sin. These lights are installed by order of the one in authority. The red light means stop. If the one in authority orders you to stop, it is obligatory for you to stop. If you disobey, you are a sinner, even if we assume that there is no one on the road. It is not permissible for you to proceed; rather, you must remain until the light permits you to pass. Yes, I do not know if this was the last question.
The questioner : A person ran the light...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : A person ran the traffic light.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the traffic police stopped him, meaning they said to him: Why did you run the light, O Shaykh? So he swore that he did not run it, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : He did not run it.
The questioner : He wants to escape the fine, O Shaykh. What is his ruling? Does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The Shaykh : No, there is no expiation for an oath regarding something that has already passed. There is no expiation for it. But either there is sin if he was lying, or he is safe if he was truthful.
The questioner : No, he means he ran it, but even so...
The Shaykh : I will tell you a rule that benefits everyone: any oath regarding something that has already passed does not require an expiation. If you said, "By Allah, so-and-so did not come," and he actually did come, you do not have to pay an expiation. Understand this rule. This man says, "By Allah, I did not run it." It is something that has passed, so we say: he does not have to pay an expiation. But either he is sinful if he was lying, or he is safe. In the case you mentioned, he is sinful because he swore that he did not run it while he actually did run it.
Then, on this occasion, I would like to advise our brothers, the drivers and others, not to run traffic lights, because it is a sin. These lights are installed by order of the one in authority. The red light means stop. If the one in authority orders you to stop, it is obligatory for you to stop. If you disobey, you are a sinner, even if we assume that there is no one on the road. It is not permissible for you to proceed; rather, you must remain until the light permits you to pass. Yes, I do not know if this was the last question.