Is there an expiation for swearing an oath regarding one's children?
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Question:
Is there an expiation for swearing an oath regarding one's children, such as if I say, "By Allah, I will hit you if you do such and such," and I did not hit him? And if there is an expiation, what is it?
Answer:
If a person swears an oath regarding his children or his wife, saying, "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, I will certainly hit you," or "By Allah, I will certainly hit you," or "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, you will stand up and do such and such," or "By Allah, you will bring such and such," if he intends it, then the expiation is upon him if the child or the wife does not do it, or if she says the same to her husband, if it is something intended, then there is an expiation for it.
As for if it is the idle talk of an oath, not intended, Allah the Exalted and Majestic says: [Surat al-Baqarah: 225] What the heart aimed at and intended, thus says the Exalted and Majestic in Surat al-Baqarah, and He says in Surat al-Ma'idah: [Al-Ma'idah 5:89] meaning: the oath [Surat al-Ma'idah: 89].
So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, commands us to keep our oaths, and informs us of the expiation if we make an oath. If a man or a woman makes an oath regarding a child, a male servant, a female servant, or otherwise, then the expiation is upon him if his request is not carried out, if the breach occurs by saying, "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," saying to his child or his servant, or if the wife says to her husband, "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, I will do such and such," and then the intended thing does not happen; there is the expiation of the oath, which is feeding ten poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. So whoever is unable should fast three days, and it is better that they be consecutive.
As for the common oaths that one does not intend, such as "By Allah, I did not do such and such," or "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such," not intending them, but they passed through his tongue without intention, this is called the idle talk of an oath, and there is nothing in it. As for the intended one that the heart aimed at and the heart earned, then there is an expiation for it.
Is there an expiation for swearing an oath regarding one's children, such as if I say, "By Allah, I will hit you if you do such and such," and I did not hit him? And if there is an expiation, what is it?
Answer:
If a person swears an oath regarding his children or his wife, saying, "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, I will certainly hit you," or "By Allah, I will certainly hit you," or "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, you will stand up and do such and such," or "By Allah, you will bring such and such," if he intends it, then the expiation is upon him if the child or the wife does not do it, or if she says the same to her husband, if it is something intended, then there is an expiation for it.
As for if it is the idle talk of an oath, not intended, Allah the Exalted and Majestic 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
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْAllah 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
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الْأَيْمَانَ 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 ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْSo Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, commands us to keep our oaths, and informs us of the expiation if we make an oath. If a man or a woman makes an oath regarding a child, a male servant, a female servant, or otherwise, then the expiation is upon him if his request is not carried out, if the breach occurs by saying, "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," saying to his child or his servant, or if the wife says to her husband, "By Allah, you will certainly do such and such," or "By Allah, I will do such and such," and then the intended thing does not happen; there is the expiation of the oath, which is feeding ten poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. So whoever is unable should fast three days, and it is better that they be consecutive.
As for the common oaths that one does not intend, such as "By Allah, I did not do such and such," or "By Allah, I will certainly do such and such," not intending them, but they passed through his tongue without intention, this is called the idle talk of an oath, and there is nothing in it. As for the intended one that the heart aimed at and the heart earned, then there is an expiation for it.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.