The Obligation to Promptly Perform the Expiation for an Oath
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
After this, we move on to another issue that our sister Fawziyah Ahmad from Libya is asking about. She asks this question: Is it permissible to delay the expiation for an oath beyond its time, or does it have a specific time? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to promptly perform the expiation for an oath when one breaks it. It is obligatory to be prompt. This is a rule regarding commands to be prompt, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 10:983 And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [al-Taghabun: 16], and He says, Exalted is He: [al-Hashr: 7].
Therefore, it is obligatory for the believer to fear Allah in everything, and among that is being prompt in performing the obligatory duty at its time, performing the expiation for an oath at its time when one breaks it, the expiation for zihar at its time, the expiation for intercourse in Ramadan at its time, and so on.
It is obligatory for the believer to be prompt with what Allah has made obligatory upon him at its time, provided he has the ability. Allah clarified the expiation for an oath in Surat al-Ma'idah in His saying, Exalted is He: [al-Ma'idah: 89], meaning: the oath [al-Ma'idah: 89]. So this is the expiation for an oath: feeding ten poor people from the middle of what you feed your families, not from the highest, nor from the lowest, but the middle. If he gives from the highest, it is better. If he spends from the highest, it is purer and better. So if he breaks his oath by saying, "By Allah, I will not speak to so-and-so," and he speaks to him, or "By Allah, I will not travel," and he travels, or something similar; he must be prompt with the expiation. If he breaks his oath by leaving what he swore to do, or doing what he swore to leave; he must be prompt with the expiation by feeding ten poor people, each poor person receiving half a sa' by the sa' of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of the staple food of his land, the staple food of his land, wheat, or dates, or barley, or corn, or wheat, the staple food of his land [al-Taghabun: 16], or clothing them, each one having a shirt, or an izar and a rida', or freeing a slave, freeing a male slave or a female slave, he has the choice.
And the amount of half a sa' is approximately one and a half kilograms, approximately one and a half kilograms, this is half a sa', of the staple food of his land, his own land, he does not strain himself to get the average of his land, and if he takes from the highest, it is better and more, but it is not permissible to give from the lowest. Allah says, Exalted is He: [al-Baqarah: 267]. The bad: the defective, but the believer gives from the middle, or from the highest, and so zakah is from the middle, or from the highest.
If he is unable; he fasts three days, and it is better that they be consecutive; because some of the scholars made it obligatory that they be consecutive, so the best is to be cautious, and that he fasts them consecutively, if he is unable to feed, and to clothe, and to free a slave, yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
After this, we move on to another issue that our sister Fawziyah Ahmad from Libya is asking about. She asks this question: Is it permissible to delay the expiation for an oath beyond its time, or does it have a specific time? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is obligatory to promptly perform the expiation for an oath when one breaks it. It is obligatory to be prompt. This is a rule regarding commands to be prompt, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith:
Whatever I have commanded you, do as much of it as you are able, and whatever I have forbidden you, avoid it.
ما أمرتكم به؛ فأتوا منه ما استطعتم، وما نهيتكم عنه؛ فاجتنبوهSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُواTherefore, it is obligatory for the believer to fear Allah in everything, and among that is being prompt in performing the obligatory duty at its time, performing the expiation for an oath at its time when one breaks it, the expiation for zihar at its time, the expiation for intercourse in Ramadan at its time, and so on.
It is obligatory for the believer to be prompt with what Allah has made obligatory upon him at its time, provided he has the ability. Allah clarified the expiation for an oath in Surat al-Ma'idah in His saying, Exalted is He:
Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation
لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأَيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُthe feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths
إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمAnd the amount of half a sa' is approximately one and a half kilograms, approximately one and a half kilograms, this is half a sa', of the staple food of his land, his own land, he does not strain himself to get the average of his land, and if he takes from the highest, it is better and more, but it is not permissible to give from the lowest. Allah says, Exalted is He:
And do not aim toward the defective therefrom, spending
وَلا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَIf he is unable; he fasts three days, and it is better that they be consecutive; because some of the scholars made it obligatory that they be consecutive, so the best is to be cautious, and that he fasts them consecutively, if he is unable to feed, and to clothe, and to free a slave, yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.