I did not know that swearing by the mushaf is forbidden in a matter that is not true, so what should I do to expiate for this sin?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on swearing by the Qur'an in a matter that is not true? I did not know that this oath was forbidden, so what must I do to expiate for this sin? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : Swearing a false oath is forbidden, whether a person swears by the mushaf or without it, because swearing a false oath entails two harms:
The first harm is lying, and lying is forbidden.
And the second harm is violating the greatness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), where he swears by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His greatness (Exalted and Majestic is He) regarding a matter in which he is lying.
And whoever swears to a false matter while knowing his lie in it, then according to some scholars, it is of the type of oath called al-yamin al-ghamus, which plunges its owner into sin and then plunges him into the Fire. It was also said that al-yamin al-ghamus is the oath by which a person swears to a false matter to seize the wealth of a Muslim man. In this case, if he swears a false oath to seize the wealth of a Muslim man, there are three things in that which are prohibited and to be feared:
Lying, swearing by Allah, and seizing wealth that is not lawful for him. This is al-yamin al-ghamus.
As for the one who swears to something based on the preponderance of his opinion, and it turns out to be contrary to his opinion, there is no harm in that. For example, if he swears that this thing happened based on his opinion, and then it turns out that it did not happen, he has no sin in that, because he only swore to his opinion, and at the time of his oath, he was truthful regarding what preponderated in his opinion. Similarly, if he says: "By Allah, so-and-so will arrive tomorrow," meaning he will arrive from his journey tomorrow based on his opinion, and then he does not arrive, then according to the stronger position, he owes nothing, meaning he has no sin and no expiation, because he only swore to his opinion.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Swearing a false oath is forbidden, whether a person swears by the mushaf or without it, because swearing a false oath entails two harms:
The first harm is lying, and lying is forbidden.
And the second harm is violating the greatness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), where he swears by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His greatness (Exalted and Majestic is He) regarding a matter in which he is lying.
And whoever swears to a false matter while knowing his lie in it, then according to some scholars, it is of the type of oath called al-yamin al-ghamus, which plunges its owner into sin and then plunges him into the Fire. It was also said that al-yamin al-ghamus is the oath by which a person swears to a false matter to seize the wealth of a Muslim man. In this case, if he swears a false oath to seize the wealth of a Muslim man, there are three things in that which are prohibited and to be feared:
Lying, swearing by Allah, and seizing wealth that is not lawful for him. This is al-yamin al-ghamus.
As for the one who swears to something based on the preponderance of his opinion, and it turns out to be contrary to his opinion, there is no harm in that. For example, if he swears that this thing happened based on his opinion, and then it turns out that it did not happen, he has no sin in that, because he only swore to his opinion, and at the time of his oath, he was truthful regarding what preponderated in his opinion. Similarly, if he says: "By Allah, so-and-so will arrive tomorrow," meaning he will arrive from his journey tomorrow based on his opinion, and then he does not arrive, then according to the stronger position, he owes nothing, meaning he has no sin and no expiation, because he only swore to his opinion.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.