Am I obligated to offer expiation for an oath after swearing not to contact someone until he initiates contact, then I went back on my word and contacted him, knowing that I am unable to feed ten needy people?
Whoever swears to do something and does not do it, or swears not to do something and does it, must offer expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat ). Since you did what you swore not to do, you must offer expiation for breaking an oath, which is: feeding ten needy persons, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. If you cannot find any of these, then you must fast for three days. This is based on the Almighty's saying: "Its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever finds not [the means to do so] - then a fast of three days. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. And guard your oaths." [Al-Ma'idah:89]. Since you are unable to feed, clothe, or free a slave, you must fast for three days.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/40192
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 40192
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy