Oaths and Vows
This subtopic gathers questions on swearing by God and breaking an oath, with its expiation. It also holds vows, their binding force and expiation, and conditional oaths that are not divorce formulas.
Questions readers ask here:
- What is the ruling on not fulfilling a vow to fast ten days and donate books?
- Am I obligated to fulfill an oath if I don't remember whether I made it or not?
- What is the expiation for a husband breaking his oath not to return to smoking?
- What is the ruling on not fulfilling a vow when its location changes?
Oaths sworn by divorce belong under Divorce Wording, Oaths and Conditions.
172 questions
What is the ruling on the frequent making of vows and oaths to the extent that it has become an ordinary matter for him?
What is incumbent upon one who vowed to abandon a sin, but does not know the extent of what he vowed, and swore an unknown number of times, but presumes it to be 100, and did not fulfill his vow?
Is it obligatory to fulfill a vow made while suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder that affected one's will and thinking, out of fear of failing exams, knowing that the vow is burdensome?
What is the ruling on a girl intentionally urinating after having sworn not to repeat ablution? Does she have to offer expiation for breaking an oath, and what should she do if she cannot afford to feed the poor?
What is required of me when I have made a vow to Allah Almighty not to do something that later became clear to me is an obligatory act that must not be abandoned?
Is it permissible to perform the vowed rak'ahs—the number of which was determined after a certain matter was realized (on one day after the 'Isha prayer)—with all rak'ahs being prayed with a single tashahhud and taslim?
What is the ruling on abandoning the fulfillment of a vow to fast every Monday and Thursday for life and to recite one hundred verses from the Quran every night after the condition of the vow has been met, and what is its expiation?
What should I do about the many accumulated oaths I have made by swearing to compel myself to utter the intention of prayer in order to get rid of the whisperings that prevent me from uttering it?
What is the ruling on one who doubts the obligation of expiation (kaffarah) for an oath upon them?
What is the ruling regarding someone who made a covenant with Allah to perform acts of obedience not restricted by time, then sometimes forgot their covenant or their resolve weakened? Is expiation required for such unintentional forgetfulness or shortcoming? And is it considered that they have thereby entirely broken the covenant and fallen under the meaning of Allah's saying: {those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it}?
What is the ruling on one who made a covenant with Allah to perform the night vigil (qiyam al-layl) then became unable to fulfill his covenant due to excessive flatulence or insomnia? And does the night vigil remain an obligation upon him, or does it revert to being a supererogatory act?
Is expiation (kaffarah) obligatory for someone who swore not to masturbate for a month, then involuntarily emitted semen due to fantasies, without intending to ejaculate or masturbate?
1. Is it permissible to give 100 Saudi Riyals to a charity via bank transfer to fulfill a vow of feeding ten needy people? 2. Is it permissible to wipe over socks for a full day if the weather is cold, and is it permissible to wipe over them if they have a slight tear?
Did the questioner break his oath by entering the Quran memorization class before the time he specified in his oath?
Does the statement "I pledge to Allah not to commit what displeases Him again" upon repentance necessitate an expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat yamin) or fulfilling a vow (nadhr) if one falls into sin again? And is expiation or a vow required for every instance this statement is uttered?
What is the ruling on repeatedly breaking a promise to Allah not to abandon prayer, and what must be done as expiation for that?
What is the Shar'i ruling and how can one repent after breaking a covenant with Allah to abstain from a certain habit, especially when one has supplicated for happiness in abandoning it and misery in persisting in it?
What is incumbent upon me regarding the difficult and arduous vows I made while suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (waswas), and must I fulfill them, or can I expiate them as an oath?
What is the ruling regarding the disagreement within the Maliki school concerning the validity of an oath made by one's inner thoughts (hadith al-nafs), and is it permissible to adopt the view of the majority that it is not valid unless uttered verbally? Furthermore, what is the interpretation of the hadith, "Indeed, Allah has pardoned my Ummah for whatever thoughts they harbor within themselves, so long as they do not speak of it or act upon it," in the context of obsessive thoughts about swearing an oath and not remembering its details?
Is cutting one's hair considered disobedience to God when there is doubt about an oath after performing Istikhara prayer and seeing supportive dreams regarding the cut?
What is the ruling on breaking an oath before puberty, and on one who doubts his age of puberty at the time of breaking the oath, and is puberty a condition for breaking an oath?
How can the vow of "doing one's utmost in studying" be fulfilled during the secondary school stages?
Does an expiatory offering (kaffara) for breaking an oath become obligatory for someone who said, "O Lord, I promise You that I will not commit a sin, and indeed I love this thing very much, and I said: O Lord, if I do it, then deprive me of it," then committed the sin and repented with sincere repentance? And will Allah be angry with him and deprive him of what he loves?
Would God be angry with the questioner for not completing seven rak'ahs of the qiyam al-layl prayer as she had vowed, due to obsessive-compulsive disorder?