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Is looking at women inadvertently or watching foreign movies that may contain nude scenes considered a violation of an oath, given that the oath was not to enter pornographic websites and not to masturbate? Is it permissible to offer expiation for the oath by paying a sum of money to the mosque? And what is the required amount?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Allah commanded the believers to lower their gaze, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade following one glance with another. One must strive against their self to abandon forbidden acts, including masturbation and watching forbidden television programs and films. The ruling on an oath depends on the swearer's intention: if the intention was only to watch websites and engage in masturbation, then he does not break his oath by watching forbidden images on television or in films, or by directly seeing women. However, if the intention was to refrain from watching forbidden images absolutely, then he breaks his oath by watching any type of them. The expiation for an oath is not to pay money for the benefit of the mosque; rather, it is: feeding ten poor persons, or clothing them, or freeing a believing slave; and if one is unable, then fasting for three days. One must strive against their self to get rid of forbidden acts, because sight is a blessing that will bear witness against its owner on the Day of Judgment, and Allah may hasten the punishment of one who does not guard it.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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