What is the ruling on watching beneficial television programs after having made a covenant not to watch television at all?

The Shariah has encouraged fulfilling covenants, especially with Allah, and has condemned those who break them. Jurists have differed regarding the phrase "I covenant with Allah concerning such-and-such," as to whether it constitutes an oath (yameen) or a vow (nadhr):

Hanafi and Hanbali schools: They consider it an oath unconditionally. Maliki school: They have two opinions, and the more apparent one is that it is not an oath. Shafi'i school: It does not become an oath except with the intention. Ibn Taymiyyah: He provided a detailed explanation: if one commits to an act of worship, it is both a vow and an oath; if it is not an act of worship, it is an oath only.

Based on the intention of the one who swore and the reason for their oath, whoever swore to protect themselves from unlawful looking is permitted to look at beneficial channels free from unlawful content, because the reason specifies the oath.