The Meaning of Lightheartedness in Oaths
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Question:
A message from the listener Abdullah Khalifa from al-Zulfi. He says: I am a follower of your program, Light on the Path, and praise be to Allah. I ask your Eminence to be generous enough to answer this question, which is:
Allah the Exalted said: [al-Baqarah: 225]. What is the meaning of lightheartedness in oaths?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The verse is clear. He, the Exalted, says: [al-Baqarah: 225]. And in the other verse: [al-Ma'idah: 89]. The acquisition of the hearts is their intention and their purpose. So the acquisition of the hearts is: faith in Allah, love for Allah, fear of Allah, and hope in Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) . All of this is part of the acquisition of the hearts. Likewise, the intention of the one who swears an oath, meaning: his purpose in the oath and his affirmation of it, is part of the acquisition of the hearts.
As for lightheartedness, it is when one speaks an oath without intention, when it slips off his tongue without intention. "By Allah, I will not stand," "By Allah, I will not speak," "By Allah, I will not go to such and such." He did not intend it, he did not deliberate it, it slipped off his tongue, but without intention. Meaning: without the intention of binding the oath to this thing, without the heart intending that he will do this thing. This is the lightheartedness of the oath. The saying of a man: "No, by Allah," or "Yes, by Allah," as this meaning came from Aisha and others (may Allah be pleased with them all).
But if he intends the oath with his heart and purposes it, saying: "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," intending with his heart that he will not talk to him, or "By Allah, I will not visit him," or "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "I will not smoke," "By Allah, I will not drink intoxicants," then upon him is the expiation of the oath. If he breaks his oath, upon him is the expiation of the oath, which is feeding ten poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he is unable to do the three, he fasts for three days; because of His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He): [al-Ma'idah: 89], the verse in Surat al-Ma'idah.
The point is: that the lighthearted oaths are those that are not intended, that slip off the tongue without intention. This is called the lightheartedness of the oath, and it is not binding, and it is not part of the acquisition of the hearts. But if he binds it, intending it with his heart, then this is part of the acquisition of the hearts, and this is the binding of oaths. So upon the owner of this oath, if he contradicts it, is to expiate with the expiation of the oath, as mentioned earlier. So if he says: "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," intending it, and then talks to him, upon him is the expiation of the oath. "By Allah, I will not visit him," and then visits him, upon him is the expiation of the oath. "By Allah, I will not travel to such and such," and then travels, upon him is the expiation of the oath. This is unlike when the oath passes off his tongue without intention, he did not deliberate it or purpose it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A message from the listener Abdullah Khalifa from al-Zulfi. He says: I am a follower of your program, Light on the Path, and praise be to Allah. I ask your Eminence to be generous enough to answer this question, which is:
Allah the Exalted said:
Allah does not impose blame upon you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned
لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْMay Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The verse is clear. He, the Exalted, says:
Allah does not impose blame upon you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned
لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْbut He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths
وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأَيْمَانَAs for lightheartedness, it is when one speaks an oath without intention, when it slips off his tongue without intention. "By Allah, I will not stand," "By Allah, I will not speak," "By Allah, I will not go to such and such." He did not intend it, he did not deliberate it, it slipped off his tongue, but without intention. Meaning: without the intention of binding the oath to this thing, without the heart intending that he will do this thing. This is the lightheartedness of the oath. The saying of a man: "No, by Allah," or "Yes, by Allah," as this meaning came from Aisha and others (may Allah be pleased with them all).
But if he intends the oath with his heart and purposes it, saying: "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," intending with his heart that he will not talk to him, or "By Allah, I will not visit him," or "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "I will not smoke," "By Allah, I will not drink intoxicants," then upon him is the expiation of the oath. If he breaks his oath, upon him is the expiation of the oath, which is feeding ten poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he is unable to do the three, he fasts for three days; because of His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He):
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
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 أَيْمَانَكُمْThe point is: that the lighthearted oaths are those that are not intended, that slip off the tongue without intention. This is called the lightheartedness of the oath, and it is not binding, and it is not part of the acquisition of the hearts. But if he binds it, intending it with his heart, then this is part of the acquisition of the hearts, and this is the binding of oaths. So upon the owner of this oath, if he contradicts it, is to expiate with the expiation of the oath, as mentioned earlier. So if he says: "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," intending it, and then talks to him, upon him is the expiation of the oath. "By Allah, I will not visit him," and then visits him, upon him is the expiation of the oath. "By Allah, I will not travel to such and such," and then travels, upon him is the expiation of the oath. This is unlike when the oath passes off his tongue without intention, he did not deliberate it or purpose it. 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.