Book of Oaths

The oath that obliges an expiation when it is broken is the one (1) sworn by invoking Allah Himself or one of His attributes—such as “the All-Merciful”—or by the Qur’an, or by a physical copy of it (mushaf).

It is forbidden to swear by anything other than Allah, and no expiation applies to such a statement.

Whoever knowingly swears falsely about a past matter commits the perjurious ghamus oath, and no expiation is accepted for it—just as none is due for an idle oath (laghw) that is uttered without real intent, such as saying, “No, by Allah,” or “Yes, by Allah” in the course of conversation; the same holds if a person deliberately forges an oath thinking himself truthful, only to discover the opposite.

An oath pronounced under coercion, or by someone not legally accountable, does not take effect.

No expiation is required until the oath is actually broken, meaning that the person does what he had sworn not to do, or omits what he had sworn to perform, and he does so willingly and while remembering the oath—not out of forgetfulness or duress. Likewise, no expiation is due when the oath is coupled with the phrase “if Allah wills.”

If someone swears an oath and then sees that doing the contrary is better, it is recommended that he act on the better course (2) and then pay the expiation.

Whoever declares unlawful for himself any permissible thing—such as a slave-girl, food, clothing, or the like—other than his wife, does not thereby render it unlawful; but if he nevertheless partakes of it, he must pay the expiation for an oath. The same rule applies to one who says, for example, “I shall become a Jew or a Christian if I do such-and-such,” and then proceeds to do it.

Anyone for whom the expiation of an oath becomes obligatory may choose between feeding ten needy persons, as described earlier, or