They ask: If one swears an oath regarding something and then takes it, is there a sin in that or not?
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The questioner : They ask: If one swears an oath regarding something and then takes it, is there a sin in that or not?
The Shaykh : First, we say that swearing by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) should not be a person's habit. Rather, it is obligatory for him to hold Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in high esteem and not to swear except when there is a need. Although swearing is permissible without a need and without being asked to swear, it is better not to do it frequently, due to the saying of the Exalted: Some of the exegetes say that the meaning is: do not make frequent oaths by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). However, if one swears to something and then contradicts what he swore to, if he had said "if Allah wills" in his oath, then there is no harm on him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1532Sahih (Darussalam) And if he did not say "if Allah wills" in his oath, then if he does what he swore to, an expiation becomes obligatory upon him if he was aware, remembering, and acting by choice.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The expiation is freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing them. If he does not find the means, then fasting for three days.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Consecutively. And let the asking brother know that an oath regarding the past is not a binding oath. For example, if he says, "By Allah, this thing did not happen," and then it is revealed that it did happen, there is no expiation upon him. Rather, we say: if you swore to something in the past, if you were truthful, there is nothing upon you; and if you were lying, you have the sin of lying and the sin of a false oath.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no expiation in it, because the expiation is only for an oath intended to be binding regarding the future.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But is there a sin in playing with oaths and with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in this?
The Shaykh : How...?
The questioner : If he swears to something that did not happen, while he knows that it did happen?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he knows that there is no expiation upon him.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he only swore to please his opponent or his tribe in this matter?
The Shaykh : Yes, in any case, I said that there is the sin of lying and the sin of the oath.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : ... So he has a sin for this.
The questioner : Did you indicate that if a person says, "I swear," and says "if Allah wills," this may not be an oath, because it is not in the position of an oath, because he is free from the matter if he wants to do it and if he wants not to do it?
The Shaykh : Yes, but it is an oath. The Messenger said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1532Sahih (Darussalam) It is an oath in reality because it is an oath by Allah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But it is an oath conditioned by the will of Allah, so the person has disclaimed his own power and strength and made the matter up to Allah. So when he made the matter up to Allah, if he contradicts it, he has contradicted it by the will of Allah, and there is nothing upon him.
The questioner : Their third question says: People have become self-sufficient with cars instead of animals...
The Shaykh : Therefore.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The scholars differed if one says "if Allah wills" for seeking blessing or for conditioning. If he says it for seeking blessing, does it benefit him or not? And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah chose that it benefits him absolutely, due to the generality of the hadith. For example, the one who swears might say, "By Allah, if Allah wills, I will certainly do such and such," and he intends by his saying "if Allah wills" the verification of the matter and its confirmation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather than conditioning it by the will of Allah. So some of the scholars say that if he did not intend the conditioning, he breaks his oath, because he did not return the will to Allah, but rather confirmed it because it is by the will of Allah. And some of them say that if he says "if Allah wills" absolutely, whether he intended verification or conditioning, he does not break his oath. And this latter is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah due to the generality of the hadith.
The questioner : So this includes what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also swore to in the battle of Fuhud. When he swore to victory, they said to him, "Say 'if Allah wills.'" He said, "If Allah wills, as verification, not as conditioning."
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : First, we say that swearing by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) should not be a person's habit. Rather, it is obligatory for him to hold Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in high esteem and not to swear except when there is a need. Although swearing is permissible without a need and without being asked to swear, it is better not to do it frequently, due to the saying of the Exalted:
And keep your oaths
واحفظوا أيمانكمWhoever swears [about an oath] and says: 'If Allah wills (Insha Allah), then he will not have broken it.
من حلف على يمين فقال إن شاء الله لم يحنثThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The expiation is freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing them. If he does not find the means, then fasting for three days.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Consecutively. And let the asking brother know that an oath regarding the past is not a binding oath. For example, if he says, "By Allah, this thing did not happen," and then it is revealed that it did happen, there is no expiation upon him. Rather, we say: if you swore to something in the past, if you were truthful, there is nothing upon you; and if you were lying, you have the sin of lying and the sin of a false oath.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no expiation in it, because the expiation is only for an oath intended to be binding regarding the future.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But is there a sin in playing with oaths and with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in this?
The Shaykh : How...?
The questioner : If he swears to something that did not happen, while he knows that it did happen?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he knows that there is no expiation upon him.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he only swore to please his opponent or his tribe in this matter?
The Shaykh : Yes, in any case, I said that there is the sin of lying and the sin of the oath.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : ... So he has a sin for this.
The questioner : Did you indicate that if a person says, "I swear," and says "if Allah wills," this may not be an oath, because it is not in the position of an oath, because he is free from the matter if he wants to do it and if he wants not to do it?
The Shaykh : Yes, but it is an oath. The Messenger said:
Whoever swears [about an oath] and says: 'If Allah wills (Insha Allah), then he will not have broken it.
من حلف على يمين فقال إن شاء الله لم يحنثThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But it is an oath conditioned by the will of Allah, so the person has disclaimed his own power and strength and made the matter up to Allah. So when he made the matter up to Allah, if he contradicts it, he has contradicted it by the will of Allah, and there is nothing upon him.
The questioner : Their third question says: People have become self-sufficient with cars instead of animals...
The Shaykh : Therefore.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The scholars differed if one says "if Allah wills" for seeking blessing or for conditioning. If he says it for seeking blessing, does it benefit him or not? And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah chose that it benefits him absolutely, due to the generality of the hadith. For example, the one who swears might say, "By Allah, if Allah wills, I will certainly do such and such," and he intends by his saying "if Allah wills" the verification of the matter and its confirmation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather than conditioning it by the will of Allah. So some of the scholars say that if he did not intend the conditioning, he breaks his oath, because he did not return the will to Allah, but rather confirmed it because it is by the will of Allah. And some of them say that if he says "if Allah wills" absolutely, whether he intended verification or conditioning, he does not break his oath. And this latter is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah due to the generality of the hadith.
The questioner : So this includes what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also swore to in the battle of Fuhud. When he swore to victory, they said to him, "Say 'if Allah wills.'" He said, "If Allah wills, as verification, not as conditioning."
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.