What is the ruling on someone who repeatedly swore oaths to abandon a single thing, but broke some of them, and now wishes to absolve herself, but does not remember the exact number? Should she assume a number and offer expiation for it? And what is the measure of the expiation and its conditions, and who are its rightful recipients?
Excessive swearing is reprehensible in Islamic law. For anyone who breaks an oath, a separate expiation (kaffarah) is due for each instance of breaking an oath. The expiation is obligatory and consists of feeding ten poor persons, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. If this is not possible, then it is by fasting for three days. The only conditions for the poor persons are that they must be Muslim and free. It is permissible to feed both young and old, and it is also permissible to authorize someone trustworthy to pay the expiation on one's behalf.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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