What is the ruling on going back on a covenant made with Allah, in the form of "I covenant with Allah concerning such and such," regarding a matter that does not displease Allah?
Scholars differ on the formulation "I covenant with Allah" (أعاهد الله): The Hanafis and Hanbalis view it as an oath () necessitating expiation () upon breaking it. The Malikis have two opinions, the more preponderant of which is that it is not an oath. As for the Shafi'is, it does not become an oath except with intention. The preponderant view is that it becomes both an oath and a vow () if one commits to it as an act of worship and obedience, and it becomes only an oath if one commits to something that is not an act of worship. Ibn Taymiyyah elaborates on this, stating that a covenant for obedience is a vow and an oath, while a covenant for other matters is an oath but not a vow. Whatever is a vow necessitates fulfillment, and whatever is an oath, one is given the choice between fulfilling it or offering expiation. The matter of a covenant is of great significance to Allah.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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