Book of Oaths and Vows

An oath is considered binding only when it is sworn by Allah Most High, by one of His Names, or by one of His Attributes. Whoever swears, "I will give my wealth in charity," may choose either to carry out the charity or to pay the expiation for breaking an oath. No penalty is due for an idle oath made unwittingly. If a person swears that he will not do something but then instructs someone else to perform it, he does not break his oath. Likewise, if he swears to carry out two actions and performs one of them, his oath remains intact.

For the expiation of a broken oath, he may choose among three options: (1) freeing a believing slave; (2) feeding ten poor persons, giving each one mudd of food; or (3) clothing each of the ten with a garment. If he is unable to do any of these, he must fast three days.

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A vow (nadhar) becomes obligatory when it is made in return for a permissible act or an act of obedience—for example, saying, "If Allah cures my sick relative, I pledge to pray, to fast, or to give charity." Whatever properly falls under that designation must then be fulfilled. No vow counts if it involves disobedience, such as saying, "If I kill so-and-so, I will owe such-and-such," and no vow is binding when it consists of abandoning something permissible, like saying, "I will not eat meat," "I will not drink milk," or the like.