Ruling on Habitual Swearing Oaths in Everyday Speech

Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri

❖ Question:

What is the ruling regarding a person who has the habit of swearing oaths repeatedly in everyday speech?

✿ Answer:

The oath of a person for whom swearing has become a habitual expression carries no legal weight. Such an oath is considered laghw (idle/unintentional oath), and no expiation (kaffārah) is obligatory upon it.

❀ Command of Allah Almighty:

﴿لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ﴾

Translation:
Allah Almighty does not hold you accountable for idle oaths.

❀ Explanation of this Verse by Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:

She said:

“This verse was revealed concerning people’s saying: ‘By Allah! By Allah!’ (i.e., unintentional oaths uttered habitually during conversation are considered yamīn laghw).”