Is holding the mobile phone to read a post without scrolling considered a breach of an oath to refrain from opening a specific application?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Whoever swears not to do something and does not do it, does not break their oath and is not bound by anything. This is called an "oath of righteousness" ( al-birr), and the breaking of it occurs by voluntarily doing what one swore to abandon. Therefore, no expiation is binding upon you merely for taking your brother's phone and reading what is in it, because your oath was on not opening a specific application, not on not taking the phone or reading from it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/167313
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 167313
- 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