Is expiation required for someone who swore by Allah to reply to a topic, then was forced to leave the page?
If a person swears an oath to perform a specific act and is then prevented from doing so by an ordinary, unforeseen impediment after taking the oath, he has broken his oath and is liable for expiation. This is the view of the majority of jurists, in contrast to Ashhab from the Maliki school, who does not consider it a breach in this case.
Examples include: swearing to slaughter a ram, wear a garment, or eat food, and then the subject of the oath is stolen, usurped, or the swearer is prevented from acting by coercion. The expiation is on the one who swore the oath, not on the one who caused the non-fulfillment of the oath.
The expiation for breaking an oath is to feed ten needy persons, or clothe them, or free a slave. If one cannot find these, then one must fast for three days, as stated in the Almighty's words: {Allah will not hold you accountable for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for your deliberate oaths. Its expiation is to feed ten needy persons from the average of what you feed your families, or to clothe them, or to free a slave. But whoever cannot find these, then a fast of three days. That is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn them. And guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.} One should avoid swearing oaths concerning such matters.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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