Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on swearing an oath to commit a sinful act? Is one obliged to fulfill such an oath?
Taking an oath to commit a sinful or unlawful act is itself impermissible (ḥarām). However, if such an oath has already been made, then breaking the oath becomes obligatory (wājib). In doing so, expiation (kaffārah) must also be given.
Sayyidunā ʿAbdur-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated:
إذا حلفت على يمين ورأيت غيرها خيرا منها فأت الذى هو خير وكفر عن يمينك
“If you swear an oath to do something, then see that something else is better, then do that which is better and expiate for your oath.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6722; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1652)
If one takes an oath regarding a permissible (ḥalāl) matter and later realizes that another action is better, then it is preferable and legislated to break the oath and act upon what is better, while also paying the expiation.
So when the oath is originally made to commit a sinful or impermissible act, then not only is it permissible to break it, rather it becomes compulsory (wājib) to break it.
① Swearing an oath on a sinful act is ḥarām.
② Breaking such an oath is wājib (obligatory).
③ Kaffārah (expiation) must be offered upon breaking the oath.
④ The Prophet ﷺ instructed to choose the better deed and expiate for the oath.
✿ Question:
What is the ruling on swearing an oath to commit a sinful act? Is one obliged to fulfill such an oath?
✿ Answer:
Taking an oath to commit a sinful or unlawful act is itself impermissible (ḥarām). However, if such an oath has already been made, then breaking the oath becomes obligatory (wājib). In doing so, expiation (kaffārah) must also be given.
❀ Ḥadīth Evidence:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdur-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated:
إذا حلفت على يمين ورأيت غيرها خيرا منها فأت الذى هو خير وكفر عن يمينك
“If you swear an oath to do something, then see that something else is better, then do that which is better and expiate for your oath.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6722; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1652)
✿ Explanation:
If one takes an oath regarding a permissible (ḥalāl) matter and later realizes that another action is better, then it is preferable and legislated to break the oath and act upon what is better, while also paying the expiation.
So when the oath is originally made to commit a sinful or impermissible act, then not only is it permissible to break it, rather it becomes compulsory (wājib) to break it.
Summary:
① Swearing an oath on a sinful act is ḥarām.
② Breaking such an oath is wājib (obligatory).
③ Kaffārah (expiation) must be offered upon breaking the oath.
④ The Prophet ﷺ instructed to choose the better deed and expiate for the oath.
