Fatwa ID: 09018
Answered by Maulana Muhammad Haque
Question:
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh, Respected Shaykh, I have the following question:
- I had taken an oath by Allah that if I ever use abusive language or become angry even once, then for every occurrence I would fast 1000 days.
- Now this has happened, but obviously it is not possible for me to keep 1000 fasts. In this situation, is the expiation (kaffārah) of the oath—feeding 10 poor people—obligatory upon me?
- Also, I do not have enough money as I am not an adult yet, I am a student and whatever money I have is with my mother, and she will not give me such an amount. In this case, can I keep 3 fasts to fulfil the kaffārah?
Kindly guide me in this matter. Jazākumullāhu khayran.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
When a person vows to do something if a certain condition is fulfilled, then it becomes compulsory to fulfil this vow if the condition is fulfilled. However, it is reported that Abu Ḥanifah (رضي الله عنه) retracted from this verdict and said, “When someone says, ‘If I do such and such, then a Hajj is obligatory upon me, or fasting for a year, or giving in Sadaqah whatever I own,’ it will be sufficient for him to expiate the oath.” This is also the verdict of Imam Muḥammad (رحمة الله عليه) [1].
You should make expiation for your vow as per the instruction of Allah ﷻ in verse 89 of Surah Al-Maaidah, which in your case will be by fasting for three consecutive days [2]:
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الْأَيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آَيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
“Allah will not call you to account for your futile (unintentional and foolish) oaths, but will call you to account for (breaking) those oaths that you take deliberately. The Kaffarah for this is to either feed ten poor persons with food of average quality with which you feed your families, or to clothe them (ten poor persons with clothing that at least covers the major portions of the body), or to free a slave. Whoever does not find this (is unable to carry out the above three options), should fast for three (consecutive) days. This is the Kaffarah for your oaths when you take them (break) them. Protect your oaths! In this way, Allah explains His verses so that you may show gratitude.”
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Maulana Muhammad Haque
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[١]
ومن نذر نذرا مطلقا فعليه الوفاء … وعن أبي حنيفة أنه رجع عنه وقال إذا قال إن فعلت كذا فعلي حجة أو صوم سنة أو صدقة ما أملكه أجزأه من ذلك كفارة يمين وهو قول محمد
كتاب الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي، ص: ٣٢١، فصل في الكفارة
[2] سورة المائدة، آية: ٨٩