What is the ruling on one who swears by the Book of Allah or takes an oath by Allah to do something, but then does not fulfill it, and what is his punishment in the religion?
Excessive swearing is condemned, as Allah Almighty says: "And do not obey every [habitual] swearer, a disdained ignoble one" (Quran 68:10), and "And do not make [your oath by] Allah an obstacle against your doing good" (Quran 2:224), and "And guard your oaths" (Quran 5:89). Whoever breaks an oath sworn by a name of Allah or an attribute of His, must offer expiation for an oath: feeding ten poor persons, or clothing them, or freeing a slave; or if unable, fasting for three days. Fulfilling promises is required and recommended, and it is among the characteristics of believers, while breaking them is among the characteristics of hypocrites, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There are four characteristics, whoever has them all is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a covenant, he betrays; when he promises, he breaks; and when he argues, he deviates from the truth." Whoever swears to fulfill a promise but does not, must offer expiation for an oath.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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