matters may not act contrary to what he has sworn to do, whether he swears by Allah or takes any of the other oaths sworn by Muslims. For obeying those in authority and giving them sincere counsel, as Allah has required, is obligatory even without an oath; how much more so when one has sworn to do so! Likewise, disobeying them and deceiving them, which Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, is prohibited even without an oath concerning it.

This is like someone swearing that he will perform the five daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadan, discharge what he owes, and testify truthfully. These things are obligatory upon him even without an oath; how much more so when he has sworn to do them! Whatever Allah and His Messenger have forbidden—associating partners with Allah, lying, drinking wine, wrongdoing, acts of gross indecency, deceiving those in authority, and departing from the obedience to them that Allah has commanded—is prohibited even without an oath to refrain from it; how much more so when one has sworn such an oath!

Therefore, if someone has sworn to fulfil what Allah and His Messenger have commanded—whether obeying those in authority and giving them sincere counsel, performing prayer, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan, fulfilling trusts, acting justly, or similar duties—no one may give him a fatwa permitting him to act contrary to what he has sworn and break his oath. Nor may he seek a fatwa to that effect.

Whoever gives such people a fatwa permitting them to act contrary to what they have sworn and break their oaths is fabricating lies against Allah and issuing fatwas contrary to the religion of Islam. Indeed, even if an ordinary person were given a fatwa permitting him to break his sworn commitment to honour a contract of sale, marriage, lease, or any other binding