The Ruling on Swearing a False Oath and Its Expiation
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Question:
She says: Sometimes I swear by Allah and take oaths by Him while I am not truthful. I have done this for various reasons and circumstances. Do I have a sin on my account? If I do, what is the expiation for it? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, it is not permissible for you to swear by Allah while lying. You must repent to Allah and not make a habit of this matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 2101Da'if (Darussalam) And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And in the other wording: Sahih Muslim 137a.
The point is that an oath involving a lie is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory to be truthful in oaths at all times. If a person swears an oath to take the money of a Muslim man by it, this is among the greatest of major sins. In the hadith:Sahih Muslim 139b And in the other wording: Sahih Muslim 137a This is a great warning.
Likewise, oaths in matters other than taking money, such as saying, "By Allah, I did not do such and such," or "By Allah, I did such and such," while you are lying, this is not permissible. You must repent to Allah for that, seek forgiveness, and in the most correct opinion of the scholars, there is no expiation required of you. However, you must repent to Allah, seek forgiveness, feel remorse, and make a sincere resolve not to return to such things.
Except in matters where lying is permissible, in which case there is no harm, such as reconciliation between people, war, and a man speaking to his wife or a woman speaking to her husband. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for lying in these three matters. If a person lies in reconciling between two individuals, or two groups, or two tribes, and says, "By Allah, so-and-so is calling for you... he is praising you," then goes to the other and says the same, intending to reconcile between them, there is no harm—Allah willing—for the sake of reconciliation; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for this... in three cases: in reconciling between people, in war, meaning jihad, and in a man speaking to his wife and a woman speaking to her husband.
And likewise, a woman to her husband: "By Allah, I did not do this thing," fearing he will become angry with her, "By Allah, I did not go to so-and-so's family," "By Allah, I did not visit them," "By Allah, I did not leave your house to do such and such," to avert discord between them, or "By Allah, I will not do it again," or the like, even if she intends to do it again; because this is done out of concern for maintaining affection, maintaining a good relationship, and fearing the severity of conflict, which may lead to divorce.
So the conclusion is: if she lies about something concerning her with her husband that calms his anger and causes the relationship to continue, and it does not concern others, there is no harm with that. "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "By Allah, I will not disobey you in the future," "By Allah, I will not leave the house without your permission," and the like...
And he likewise says to her: "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "By Allah, I will not go to so-and-so," or "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," even if he is lying, or "By Allah, I did not talk to so-and-so," or "By Allah, I did not talk to so-and-so," until her anger is calmed, and until affection remains, and until divorce does not occur. All these matters are permissible between the husband and wife regarding what concerns them specifically, provided it does not involve wronging others, nor lying to others. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
She says: Sometimes I swear by Allah and take oaths by Him while I am not truthful. I have done this for various reasons and circumstances. Do I have a sin on my account? If I do, what is the expiation for it? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, it is not permissible for you to swear by Allah while lying. You must repent to Allah and not make a habit of this matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever makes an oath by Allah, let him fulfill his oath
من حلف بالله فليصدقWhoever swears a false oath to take the money of a Muslim man without right [will meet] Allah [and He will be] angry with him
من حلف على يمين هو فيها كاذب يقتطع بها مال امرئ مسلم بغير حق [لقي] الله [وهو] عليه غضبانAllah would make Hell-fire necessary for him and would declare Paradise forbidden for him
فقد أوجب الله له النار، وحرم عليه الجنةThe point is that an oath involving a lie is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory to be truthful in oaths at all times. If a person swears an oath to take the money of a Muslim man by it, this is among the greatest of major sins. In the hadith:
Wa'il reported it on the authority of his father Hujr: I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that two men came there disputing over a piece of land. One of them said: Messenger of Allah, this man appropriated my land without justification in the days of ignorance. The (claimant) was Imru'l-Qais b. 'Abis al-Kindi and his opponent was Rabi'a b. 'Iban He (the Holy Prophet) said (to the claimant): Have you evidence (to substantiate your claim)? He replied: I have no evidence. Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) remarked: Then his (that is of the defendant) is the oath. He (the claimant) said: In this case he (the defendant) would appropriate this (the property). He (the Holy Prophet) said: There is than no other way left for you but this. He (the narrator) said: When he (the defendant) stood up to take oath, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who appropriated the land wrongfully would meet Allah in a state that He would be angry with him. Ishaq in his narration mentions Rabi'a b. 'Aidan (instead of Rabi'a b. 'Ibdan).
لقي الله وهو عليه غضبانAllah would make Hell-fire necessary for him and would declare Paradise forbidden for him
فقد أو جب الله له النار، وحرم عليه الجنةLikewise, oaths in matters other than taking money, such as saying, "By Allah, I did not do such and such," or "By Allah, I did such and such," while you are lying, this is not permissible. You must repent to Allah for that, seek forgiveness, and in the most correct opinion of the scholars, there is no expiation required of you. However, you must repent to Allah, seek forgiveness, feel remorse, and make a sincere resolve not to return to such things.
Except in matters where lying is permissible, in which case there is no harm, such as reconciliation between people, war, and a man speaking to his wife or a woman speaking to her husband. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for lying in these three matters. If a person lies in reconciling between two individuals, or two groups, or two tribes, and says, "By Allah, so-and-so is calling for you... he is praising you," then goes to the other and says the same, intending to reconcile between them, there is no harm—Allah willing—for the sake of reconciliation; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for this... in three cases: in reconciling between people, in war, meaning jihad, and in a man speaking to his wife and a woman speaking to her husband.
And likewise, a woman to her husband: "By Allah, I did not do this thing," fearing he will become angry with her, "By Allah, I did not go to so-and-so's family," "By Allah, I did not visit them," "By Allah, I did not leave your house to do such and such," to avert discord between them, or "By Allah, I will not do it again," or the like, even if she intends to do it again; because this is done out of concern for maintaining affection, maintaining a good relationship, and fearing the severity of conflict, which may lead to divorce.
So the conclusion is: if she lies about something concerning her with her husband that calms his anger and causes the relationship to continue, and it does not concern others, there is no harm with that. "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "By Allah, I will not disobey you in the future," "By Allah, I will not leave the house without your permission," and the like...
And he likewise says to her: "By Allah, I will not do such and such," "By Allah, I will not go to so-and-so," or "By Allah, I will not talk to so-and-so," even if he is lying, or "By Allah, I did not talk to so-and-so," or "By Allah, I did not talk to so-and-so," until her anger is calmed, and until affection remains, and until divorce does not occur. All these matters are permissible between the husband and wife regarding what concerns them specifically, provided it does not involve wronging others, nor lying to others. 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.