I do it, my wives shall be divorced, my slaves shall be free, and everything I own shall be given in charity,” and similar expressions. Scholars hold three views concerning these oaths. One view is that, if he breaks his oath, whatever he made conditional and swore to becomes binding upon him. Another is that nothing is binding upon him. A third is that he must offer the expiation for an oath.

Some scholars hold that expiation suffices for an oath involving a vow, whereas an oath involving divorce or emancipation makes what he swore to binding upon him.

The strongest view—which accords with the positions authentically reported from the Companions and is supported by the Quran, the Sunnah, and reasoning—is that the expiation for an oath suffices for all oaths taken by Muslims. As Allah Most High says:

“That is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn.”

And He says:

“Allah has already ordained for you the means of releasing yourselves from your oaths.”

It is authentically recorded that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever swears an oath and then sees that another course is better should do what is better and offer expiation for his oath.”

Thus, if someone says, “What is lawful is forbidden to me: I will not do such-and-such”; or, “Divorce shall be binding upon me: I will not do such-and-such”; or, “If I do such-and-such, I must perform pilgrimage”; or, “My wealth shall be given in charity”—the expiation for an oath suffices in these cases. If he offers the expiation prescribed for zihār, that is better.

For the expiation of an oath, he may choose between freeing a slave, feeding ten needy people, or clothing them. If he feeds them, he should give each person a customary ration in his locality—for example, eight or nine Syrian ounces—together with an accompaniment to the bread, as is customary among the people of Syria when distributing rations of bread and an accompaniment. If he offers expiation for his oath, no divorce takes effect thereby.