I must fast, perform Hajj, give charity, or free a slave,” and similar statements. They held three views on this:

The Companions and the majority of the early generations held that expiation for an oath suffices. This is the position of al-Shāfi‘ī and Ahmad, the later of the two views reported from Abū Hanīfah, and the view of a group of Mālikī scholars, including Ibn Wahb, Ibn Abī al-Umar, and others. Must he specifically offer this expiation, or does fulfilling the vow also suffice? There are two views within the schools of al-Shāfi‘ī and Ahmad.

Another view is that he must fulfil the vow. This is Mālik’s position and one of the two views reported from Abū Hanīfah. Some later scholars also attributed it to al-Shāfi‘ī, but this has no basis in his statements.

A third view is that nothing is required of him under any circumstances. This was held by a group of the Successors and is the position of Dāwūd and Ibn Hazm.

They likewise differed along these same three lines concerning someone who swears by emancipation or divorce not to do something, saying, for example: “If I do such-and-such, my slave is free,” or “my wife is divorced.” If he breaks his oath, does the emancipation or divorce take effect, does expiation for an oath suffice, or is nothing required of him? There are three views. Some scholars distinguished between divorce and emancipation.

They agreed that if he says, “If I do such-and-such, I must divorce my wife,” this does not effect a divorce. Indeed, he is not even obliged to divorce her if doing so is not an act of devotion. But must he offer expiation for an oath? There are two views.

“The first” is that he must offer expiation for an oath. This is Ahmad’s position according to the well-known report from him. It is also Abū Hanīfah’s position, as related by Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Khattābī, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, and others, and it is what has reached us in the books of his followers. Al-Qādī Abū Ya‘lā and others also related from him that no expiation is required.

“The second” is that nothing is required of him. This is al-Shāfi‘ī’s position.