سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 89
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ فَكَفَّـٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَـٰكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَـٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّـٰرَةُ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿89﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation feed ten Masâkîn (poor persons), on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families, or clothe them or manumit a slave. But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths when you have sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allâh make clear to you His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that you may be grateful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَا
lā
Not
يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ
yuākhidhukumu
will call you to account
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِٱللَّغْوِ
bil-laghwi
for the thoughtless utterances
فِىٓ
fī
in
أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ
aymānikum
your oaths
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
يُؤَاخِذُكُم
yuākhidhukum
He will call you to account
بِمَا
bimā
for what
عَقَّدتُّمُ
ʿaqqadttumu
you contracted
ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ
l-aymāna
(of) the oath
فَكَفَّـٰرَتُهُۥٓ
fakaffāratuhu
So its expiation
إِطْعَامُ
iṭ'ʿāmu
(is) feeding
عَشَرَةِ
ʿasharati
(of) ten
مَسَـٰكِينَ
masākīna
needy people
مِنْ
min
of
أَوْسَطِ
awsaṭi
average
مَا
mā
(of) what
تُطْعِمُونَ
tuṭ'ʿimūna
you feed
أَهْلِيكُمْ
ahlīkum
your families
أَوْ
aw
or
كِسْوَتُهُمْ
kis'watuhum
clothing them
أَوْ
aw
or
تَحْرِيرُ
taḥrīru
freeing
رَقَبَةٍۢ ۖ
raqabatin
a slave
فَمَن
faman
But whoever
لَّمْ
lam
(does) not
يَجِدْ
yajid
find
فَصِيَامُ
faṣiyāmu
(that), then fasting
ثَلَـٰثَةِ
thalāthati
(for) three
أَيَّامٍۢ ۚ
ayyāmin
days
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
كَفَّـٰرَةُ
kaffāratu
(is the) expiation
أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ
aymānikum
(of) your oaths
إِذَا
idhā
when
حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ
ḥalaftum
you have sworn
وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟
wa-iḥ'faẓū
And guard
أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ
aymānakum
your oaths
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
يُبَيِّنُ
yubayyinu
makes clear
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَكُمْ
lakum
to you
ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ
āyātihi
His Verses
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تَشْكُرُونَ
tashkurūna
(be) grateful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 89) ➊ {’’ الْأَيْمَانَ ‘‘} is the plural of {’’يَمِيْنٌ‘‘}, meaning oath. At this place, this is the second ruling: if someone swears an oath to abstain from pure (lawful) things, what is its ruling? There are three types of oaths: (1) Yamin Laghu, which slips out of the tongue habitually and spontaneously, such as {’’لَاوَاللهِ وَبَلٰي وَاللهِ‘‘} (No! By Allah, or Yes! By Allah). For such oaths, there is neither expiation nor punishment. (2) Yamin Ghamus, that is, a false oath, when a person intentionally and deliberately swears falsely to deceive or cheat, claiming something happened or did not happen, while his oath is contrary to reality. This is a major sin; there is no expiation for it. Its remedy is only to sincerely repent and seek forgiveness from Allah, because he has committed a grave crime. (3) Binding oath, that is, swearing with intention and resolve that I will do such and such or will not do such and such, then if he cannot fulfill the oath, its expiation is mentioned in this verse. That is, he may choose any one of three things: feed ten needy people with average (middle-level) food, or clothe them, or free a slave. If he cannot afford any of these three, then he should fast for three days. Some scholars have written that the meaning of "average" is "best"; this meaning is also found in the language. Allah said: «جَعَلْنٰكُمْ اُمَّةً وَّسَطًا » [ البقرۃ : ۱۴۳] and the verse: «حٰفِظُوْا عَلَى الصَّلَوٰتِ وَ الصَّلٰوةِ الْوُسْطٰى» [البقرۃ : ۲۳۸] These three fasts may be kept consecutively or separately; both ways are correct.
➋ {وَ احْفَظُوْۤا اَيْمَانَكُمْ:} That is, avoid breaking oaths, but if you do break it, then pay its expiation. However, if the oath is to do something unlawful, then never fulfill it; rather, break it. Whether there is expiation for it or not, the scholars differ on this; it is better to pay it. And if the oath is to abandon something lawful, then break it and pay the expiation. The hadith of Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you swear an oath about something and then see that something else is better, then do what is better and pay the expiation for your oath." [ بخاری، الأیمان والنذور، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «لا یؤاخذکم اللہ…» : ۶۶۲۲ ]
➌ If someone makes a vow and cannot fulfill it, its expiation is the same as that of an oath. [ مسلم، النذر، باب فی کفارۃ النذر : ۱۶۴۵، عن کعب بن عجرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]
➋ {وَ احْفَظُوْۤا اَيْمَانَكُمْ:} That is, avoid breaking oaths, but if you do break it, then pay its expiation. However, if the oath is to do something unlawful, then never fulfill it; rather, break it. Whether there is expiation for it or not, the scholars differ on this; it is better to pay it. And if the oath is to abandon something lawful, then break it and pay the expiation. The hadith of Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you swear an oath about something and then see that something else is better, then do what is better and pay the expiation for your oath." [ بخاری، الأیمان والنذور، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «لا یؤاخذکم اللہ…» : ۶۶۲۲ ]
➌ If someone makes a vow and cannot fulfill it, its expiation is the same as that of an oath. [ مسلم، النذر، باب فی کفارۃ النذر : ۱۶۴۵، عن کعب بن عجرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]
