If a Person Swears an Oath, Then Sees Something Better
By: Imran Ayyub Lahori
If someone swears an oath to do something, then later sees another action that is better, he should do what is better and pay the kaffārah for breaking his oath.
Ḥaḍrat ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ"
"If you swear an oath and then see something else better than it, do what is better and pay the kaffārah for your oath."
In another wording:
"فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ"
"Then pay the kaffārah for your oath and do what is better."
[Al-Bukhārī: 6622; Aḥmad: 5/62; Al-Dārimī: 2/186; Abū Dāwūd: 3278; Al-Nasāʾī: 7/10; Al-Bayhaqī: 10/52]
The opinion of Imām al-Shāfiʿī is stronger, as both methods are mentioned in the ḥadīth.
Imām al-Bukhārī even titled a chapter:
"الكفارة قبل الحنث وبعده" – “Kaffārah before and after breaking the oath.”
Summary:
If you see something better than what you swore to do, choose the better action and give the kaffārah — either before or after breaking the oath.
By: Imran Ayyub Lahori
1. Ruling
If someone swears an oath to do something, then later sees another action that is better, he should do what is better and pay the kaffārah for breaking his oath.
2. Evidence from Ḥadīth
Ḥaḍrat ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ"
"If you swear an oath and then see something else better than it, do what is better and pay the kaffārah for your oath."
In another wording:
"فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ"
"Then pay the kaffārah for your oath and do what is better."
[Al-Bukhārī: 6622; Aḥmad: 5/62; Al-Dārimī: 2/186; Abū Dāwūd: 3278; Al-Nasāʾī: 7/10; Al-Bayhaqī: 10/52]
3. Scholarly Opinions
- Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله):
Not permissible to give the kaffārah before actually breaking the oath. - Al-Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله):
Permissible to give the kaffārah either before or after breaking the oath.
4. Preferred View (Rājiḥ)
The opinion of Imām al-Shāfiʿī is stronger, as both methods are mentioned in the ḥadīth.
Imām al-Bukhārī even titled a chapter:
"الكفارة قبل الحنث وبعده" – “Kaffārah before and after breaking the oath.”
Summary:If you see something better than what you swore to do, choose the better action and give the kaffārah — either before or after breaking the oath.
