What is the ruling on one who swore by Allah that He would do something for him, but it did not happen; does he owe an expiation for breaking an oath?

A person's statement: "I swear" (أقسمتُ) without mentioning "by Allah" (بالله) is not considered an oath by many jurists, even if they intended it as an oath. However, others hold that it is an oath if the person intended thereby to swear by Allah.

According to the view that it is an oath, jurists have not found an explicit text regarding the ruling on one who swears upon their Lord. However, it can be analogized to the issue of swearing upon someone whose actions cannot be compelled. If a person swears upon their Lord, they are merely asking and requesting from Him, and do not intend to obligate Him, because Allah cannot be coerced. Therefore, their oath does not carry the meaning of an oath (in terms of bindingness) and they do not break it if their wish is not fulfilled, nor is an expiation for an oath required of them.