Warning Against Excessive Oaths and Explaining the Expiation for Breaking an Oath
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Question:
Our sister says: When I succeed in any stage, I say, "By Allah, I will fast for three days," but I did not do so. Do I have a sin upon me?
Answer:
One should not make excessive oaths. Allah said: [Al-Ma'idah: 89]. Therefore, one should not make excessive oaths, because they are prone to being neglected, and to the failure to carry out what they entail, and to the failure to pay the expiation. The believing man and woman should be cautious of this and guard against making excessive oaths, because Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-Ma'idah: 89]. And in the hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4087Sahih (Al-Albani) meaning: an old fornicator. meaning: one who makes excessive oaths.
So one should be cautious of these oaths. When something of that occurs, you must either fast or pay the expiation. Either you fast what you said, and this is better, or you pay the expiation for an oath for your oath. You must count the oaths and pass them by, then you pay an expiation for each oath, or you fast what you said. Either you fast, or you pay the expiation.
Likewise, if a person says, "By Allah, I will speak to so-and-so," and then does not speak to him at the specified time, he pays the expiation for an oath. Or if he says, "By Allah, I will pray two rak'ahs today," and does not pray, it is the expiation for an oath. Or if he says, "By Allah, I will visit so-and-so," a sick person whom he visits in his place in the hospital, and does not visit him on the day he specified, he owes the expiation for an oath, and so on. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. Would you please remind her of the expiation for an oath?
Answer : The expiation for an oath is as Allah explained in Surat al-Ma'idah at its end. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Al-Ma'idah: 89]. So the Exalted clarified the details of the expiation, and He also clarified what is required of the believer in preserving the oath. He explained these matters so that the servants would thank Him, praise Him, and extol Him, because He clarified for them the rulings that concern them in their oaths, and He encouraged them to what He prescribed for them in them. So let them thank the Exalted for His clarification and explanation, and for the rulings He bestowed as expiation for oaths.
Feeding ten poor people means: from the staple food of the land. Each person is given half a sa' of the staple food of the land, or he is fed dinner or breakfast. If something of food is added to the half sa' of dates, or rice, or the like, that is good. Or he clothes them with a garment that suffices them for prayer, such as a shirt, or an izar and a rida'. Or he frees a believing slave, male or female. If he cannot do all three of these matters, he fasts for three days. It is better that they be consecutive. As for the one who is able, he outputs one of these three: either feeding, or clothing, or clothing, or freeing. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
Our sister says: When I succeed in any stage, I say, "By Allah, I will fast for three days," but I did not do so. Do I have a sin upon me?
Answer:
One should not make excessive oaths. Allah said:
And keep your oaths
وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْAnd keep your oaths
وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْThere are three to whom Allah will not speak and at whom He will not look on the Day of Resurrection, and whom He will not declare pure, and they will have a painful punishment
ثلاثة لا يكلمهم الله، ولا ينظر إليهم يوم القيامة، ولا يزكيهم، ولهم عذاب أليم: أشيمط زانيand a poor man who is arrogant, and a man who made his trade with Allah, not selling except with an oath, and not buying except with an oath
وعائل مستكبر، ورجل جعل الله بضاعته، لا يبيع إلا بيمينه، ولا يشتري إلا بيمينهSo one should be cautious of these oaths. When something of that occurs, you must either fast or pay the expiation. Either you fast what you said, and this is better, or you pay the expiation for an oath for your oath. You must count the oaths and pass them by, then you pay an expiation for each oath, or you fast what you said. Either you fast, or you pay the expiation.
Likewise, if a person says, "By Allah, I will speak to so-and-so," and then does not speak to him at the specified time, he pays the expiation for an oath. Or if he says, "By Allah, I will pray two rak'ahs today," and does not pray, it is the expiation for an oath. Or if he says, "By Allah, I will visit so-and-so," a sick person whom he visits in his place in the hospital, and does not visit him on the day he specified, he owes the expiation for an oath, and so on. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. Would you please remind her of the expiation for an oath?
Answer : The expiation for an oath is as Allah explained in Surat al-Ma'idah at its end. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said:
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 is the 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. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.
لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأَيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ 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 أَيْمَانَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَFeeding ten poor people means: from the staple food of the land. Each person is given half a sa' of the staple food of the land, or he is fed dinner or breakfast. If something of food is added to the half sa' of dates, or rice, or the like, that is good. Or he clothes them with a garment that suffices them for prayer, such as a shirt, or an izar and a rida'. Or he frees a believing slave, male or female. If he cannot do all three of these matters, he fasts for three days. It is better that they be consecutive. As for the one who is able, he outputs one of these three: either feeding, or clothing, or clothing, or freeing. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.