Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/199)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

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If a person swears not to do something—such as speaking to Zayd, entering a house, or the like—and then does it under compulsion, he has not broken his oath. But if he swears, concerning himself or someone else whom he intends to prevent, such as his wife or child, that he will not do something, and it is done forgetfully or out of ignorance, then the oath is broken only in cases of divorce and manumission.

His statement: “If a person swears not to do something—such as speaking to Zayd, entering a house, or the like—and then does it under compulsion, he has not broken his oath.” For example, he says, “By Allah, I will not enter this house,” and is then compelled to enter it—whether he is carried inside, or told, “Enter, or we will imprison you,” “or kill you,” “or take your property,” or something similar. In such a case, he has not broken his oath, because it has previously been mentioned that one of the conditions for expiation to become obligatory is that he break his oath voluntarily. This is based on Allah’s saying:

“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed—except one who is forced while his heart is secure in faith…” [al-Nahl 16:106]

If someone who is compelled to commit or utter disbelief does so while his heart remains secure in faith, he does not become a disbeliever. Likewise, one who is compelled to break an oath has not broken it, because breaking an oath is fundamentally contingent upon sin. Thus, since he incurs no sin under compulsion, he likewise does not break his oath under compulsion.

His statement: “Entering a house, or the like”: these are merely examples. For instance, someone swears not to wear a garment, not to go out to the market, or not to go to school; then he is made to do so under compulsion. In that case, he has not broken his oath. This is why he said, “he has not broken his oath.”

His statement: “But if he swears, concerning himself or someone else whom he intends to prevent, such as his wife or child, that he will not do something, and it is done forgetfully or out of ignorance, then the oath is broken only in cases of divorce and manumission.” If he swears concerning himself that he will not do something, and then does it

فَصْلٌ وَإِنْ حَلَفَ لَا يَفْعَلُ شَيْئاً، كَكَلَامِ زَيْدٍ، وَدُخُولِ دَارٍ وَنَحْوِهِ، فَفَعَلَهُ مُكْرَهاً لَمْ يَحْنَثْ، وَإِنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ مِمَّنْ يَقْصُدُ مَنْعَهُ كَالزَّوْجَةِ، وَالْوَلَدِ، أَلاَّ يَفْعَلَ شَيْئاً، فَفَعَلَهُ نَاسِيَاً، أَوْ جَاهِلاً حَنِثَ فِي الطَّلَاقِ وَالْعَتَاقِ فَقَطْ. قوله: «وإن حلف لا يفعل شيئاً، ككلام زيد، ودخول دار، ونحوه ففعله مكرهاً لم يحنث» قال: والله لا أدخل هذه الدار، فأكره على دخولها، سواء حُمل فأدخل، أو قيل له: ادخل، وإلا حبسناك، أو قتلناك، أو أخذنا مالك، أو ما أشبه ذلك، فإنه لا يحنث؛ لأنه سبق أن من شروط وجوب الكفارة أن يحنث مختاراً، وهذا مبني على قول الله تعالى: ﴿مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلاَّ مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإِيمَانِ﴾ [النحل: ١٠٦]، فإذا كان هذا الذي أُكره على الكفر ففعله أو قاله، وقلبه مطمئن بالإيمان لا يكفر، فكذلك هذا الذي أُكره على الحنث؛ لأن الحنث مبني على الإثم في الأصل، فإذا كان لا يأثم بالإكراه، فكذلك لا يحنث بالإكراه. وقوله: «ودخول دار ونحوه» هذه أمثلة، مثل: حلف ألا يلبس ثوباً، حلف ألا يخرج إلى السوق، حلف ألا يذهب إلى المدرسة، وفُعل به هذا مكرهاً فلا حنث عليه، ولهذا قال: «لم يحنث». قوله: «وإن حلف على نفسه أو غيره ممن يقصد منعه، كالزوجة والولد، ألا يفعل شيئاً، ففعله ناسياً، أو جاهلاً حنث في الطلاق والعتاق فقط» إذا حلف على نفسه ألا يفعل شيئاً، ففعله