Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

If any promise if made to Allah and was not kept,what is the way out?

Do let me know with the sea of knowledge you have been blessed with

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Breaking an oath in the Name of Allah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The making of a promise or the taking of an oath in the Blessed Name of Allah Subhanah to do or not to do something is extremely serious in the Sight of Allah Subhanah and one must fear Allah and strive to honor their lawful promises and their oaths.

 

But if one has taken an oath in the Blessed Name of Allah to disobey Allah and His Messenger (saws)…..like one will not observe prayers, or one will not obey one’s parents, or one will not keep relations with one’s relative, etc.; then it is imperative that one break one’s unlawful oath, and do what is lawful and better; for the breaking of an unlawful oath or vow is itself its atonement.

 

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3268  Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

The Messenger of Allah (saws)  said: ‘An oath or a vow about something over which a human being has no control, or to disobey Allah, or to break ties of relationship is not binding. If anyone takes an oath and then considers something else better than it, one should give it up, and do what is better; for leaving it is its atonement.

 

If one has taken a solemn oath to do (the lawful) or abstain from something (unlawful) in the Blessed Name of Allah, and if for any valid reason one wishes or has to break their oath, the expiation or atonement for breaking a solemn oath in Shariah is as follows:

1. Feed ten indigent or poor persons a meal which one would normally feed their families with;
2. Or, provide clothing for ten indigent or poor people;
3. Or, free a slave; but
4. If doing any of the three atonements is genuinely beyond one’s means, then one should fast for three days and that would suffice as an expiation for violating the terms of their solemn oath.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 89:

89      Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation feed ten indigent persons on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom.  If that is beyond your means, fast for three days.  That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn.  But keep to your oaths.  Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs that ye may be grateful.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan