Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on swearing an oath while saying “In shā’ Allāh”?
If someone swears an oath and immediately follows it by saying “In shā’ Allāh”, the oath becomes non-binding.
In such a case, if the person does not fulfill the oath, they will not be sinful, nor will expiation (kaffārah) be required.
❀ Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) said:
“There is consensus among the scholars that if a person says:
‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will repay the debt or blood money tomorrow,’
or ‘I will return the usurped item,’ or ‘I will pray Ẓuhr or ʿAṣr,’ or ‘I will fast in Ramaḍān’ – then fails to fulfill it,
he is not liable for kaffārah,
because he said ‘if Allah wills’, and Allah did not will for it to happen.”
Majmūʿat al-Rasā’il wa al-Masā’il: 5/151
❀ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله (d. 456 AH) wrote:
“If one swears and says:
‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will do such-and-such,’
or ‘If Allah wills, I will do it,’
or ‘If Allah does not will, I will not do it,’
or says: ‘If I wish, I will do it; if not, I won’t’ —
then this is permissible, and no kaffārah is due if he breaks it.
Also, if someone conditions the oath on another’s will, like:
‘If so-and-so wishes, I’ll do it’, then again, no kaffārah is required.”
Al-Muḥallā: 6/301
① Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
Sulaimān bin Dāwūd عليهما السلام said:
“Tonight I will visit 70 wives, each of them will give birth to a son who will fight in Allah’s path.”
A companion or an angel said:
“Say: In shā’ Allāh.”
But he forgot to say it, and only one child was born—and he was disabled.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If Sulaimān had said: In shā’ Allāh, his oath would not have been broken and the matter would have been fulfilled.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1654
② Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated:
"من حلف على يمين، فقال: إن شاء الله فقد استثنى"
“Whoever swears and says: ‘In shā’ Allāh,’ has made an exception, and there is no expiation upon him.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 10/2, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3261, Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 3860, Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1531, Sunan Ibn Mājah: 2105 – Authentic
Confirmed by: Imām al-Tirmidhī (ḥasan), Ibn al-Jārūd (928), Abū ʿAwānah (5991), Ibn Ḥibbān (4339)
❀ Another narration states:
"من حلف فاستثنى، فإن شاء رجع وإن شاء ترك غير حنث"
“Whoever swears and adds: In shā’ Allāh, may do it or leave it, and there is no sin upon him.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3262 – Authentic
❀ Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله wrote:
“Most scholars from the Companions and those after them acted upon this ḥadīth:
If someone says ‘In shā’ Allāh’ while swearing, no expiation is due.
This is the opinion of:
Sufyān al-Thawrī, al-Awzāʿī, Mālik bin Anas, ʿAbdullāh bin al-Mubārak, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal, and Isḥāq bin Rāhwayh.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī under ḥadīth 1531
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما also said:
“If someone says: ‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will do such-and-such,’ and he does not do it, there is no expiation upon him.”
Muwaṭṭaʾ Imām Mālik: 2/477 – Authentic
“If ‘In shā’ Allāh’ is said immediately with the oath, then there is no kaffārah.
But if it is said after a pause, kaffārah will be required.”
Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 10/47 – Ḥasan
❀ Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه narrated the Prophet ﷺ said:
"إني والله إن شاء الله – لا أحلف على يمين، فأرى غيرها خيرًا منها، إلا أتيت الذي هو خير، وتحللتها"
“By Allah, if I swear an oath—and say: In shā’ Allāh—and later see something better, I will do what is better and offer expiation.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3133, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1649
❀ Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله quoted Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ رحمه الله:
“There is consensus among Muslims that saying ‘In shā’ Allāh’ nullifies the oath, provided it is said immediately after the oath.”
Sharḥ al-Nawawī ʿalā Muslim: 11/119
❀ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr رحمه الله said:
“There is ijmāʿ (consensus) that if ‘In shā’ Allāh’ is said in direct continuity with the oath, without any clear break, then this method is permissible.”
Al-Tamhīd: 14/374
❀ Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله also said:
“There is ijmāʿ that if someone says ‘In shā’ Allāh’ after an oath, he has the option to act or not act on it, and no expiation is required.”
As Allah said:
﴿وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ﴾
“Do not say about anything: I will do that tomorrow—without saying: If Allah wills.”
(Sūrah al-Kahf: 23–24)
Al-Fiṣal fī al-Milal: 3/86
① “In shā’ Allāh” must reflect true reliance on Allah’s Will, not be used for mere formality.
② It must be said immediately after the oath, not delayed.
③ It must be said verbally, not just intended in the heart.
❀ It is attributed to ʿAbdullāh bin ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
“If a person swears an oath, he may make an exception (by saying In shā’ Allāh) even after a year.”
Al-Mustadrak of al-Ḥākim: 4/336 (ḥadīth 7833)
⚠ Weak: The narrator al-Aʿmash is a mudallis, and he did not explicitly mention hearing it.
✔ Saying “In shā’ Allāh” nullifies the binding nature of the oath,
✔ No kaffārah is required if the action is not fulfilled,
✔ This is valid only if “In shā’ Allāh” is said immediately after the oath,
✔ Supported by authentic ahādīth, scholarly consensus, and the practice of the Salaf.
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on swearing an oath while saying “In shā’ Allāh”?
✿ Answer:
If someone swears an oath and immediately follows it by saying “In shā’ Allāh”, the oath becomes non-binding.
In such a case, if the person does not fulfill the oath, they will not be sinful, nor will expiation (kaffārah) be required.
❖ Scholarly Views and Evidences:
❀ Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) said:
“There is consensus among the scholars that if a person says:
‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will repay the debt or blood money tomorrow,’
or ‘I will return the usurped item,’ or ‘I will pray Ẓuhr or ʿAṣr,’ or ‘I will fast in Ramaḍān’ – then fails to fulfill it,
he is not liable for kaffārah,
because he said ‘if Allah wills’, and Allah did not will for it to happen.”
Majmūʿat al-Rasā’il wa al-Masā’il: 5/151❀ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله (d. 456 AH) wrote:
“If one swears and says:
‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will do such-and-such,’
or ‘If Allah wills, I will do it,’
or ‘If Allah does not will, I will not do it,’
or says: ‘If I wish, I will do it; if not, I won’t’ —
then this is permissible, and no kaffārah is due if he breaks it.
Also, if someone conditions the oath on another’s will, like:
‘If so-and-so wishes, I’ll do it’, then again, no kaffārah is required.”
Al-Muḥallā: 6/301❖ Hadith References:
① Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
Sulaimān bin Dāwūd عليهما السلام said:
“Tonight I will visit 70 wives, each of them will give birth to a son who will fight in Allah’s path.”
A companion or an angel said:
“Say: In shā’ Allāh.”
But he forgot to say it, and only one child was born—and he was disabled.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If Sulaimān had said: In shā’ Allāh, his oath would not have been broken and the matter would have been fulfilled.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1654② Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated:
"من حلف على يمين، فقال: إن شاء الله فقد استثنى"
“Whoever swears and says: ‘In shā’ Allāh,’ has made an exception, and there is no expiation upon him.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 10/2, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3261, Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 3860, Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1531, Sunan Ibn Mājah: 2105 – Authentic Confirmed by: Imām al-Tirmidhī (ḥasan), Ibn al-Jārūd (928), Abū ʿAwānah (5991), Ibn Ḥibbān (4339)❀ Another narration states:
"من حلف فاستثنى، فإن شاء رجع وإن شاء ترك غير حنث"
“Whoever swears and adds: In shā’ Allāh, may do it or leave it, and there is no sin upon him.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3262 – Authentic❖ Practice of the Scholars:
❀ Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله wrote:
“Most scholars from the Companions and those after them acted upon this ḥadīth:
If someone says ‘In shā’ Allāh’ while swearing, no expiation is due.
This is the opinion of:
Sufyān al-Thawrī, al-Awzāʿī, Mālik bin Anas, ʿAbdullāh bin al-Mubārak, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal, and Isḥāq bin Rāhwayh.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī under ḥadīth 1531❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما also said:
“If someone says: ‘By Allah! In shā’ Allāh, I will do such-and-such,’ and he does not do it, there is no expiation upon him.”
Muwaṭṭaʾ Imām Mālik: 2/477 – Authentic“If ‘In shā’ Allāh’ is said immediately with the oath, then there is no kaffārah.
But if it is said after a pause, kaffārah will be required.”
Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 10/47 – Ḥasan❀ Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه narrated the Prophet ﷺ said:
"إني والله إن شاء الله – لا أحلف على يمين، فأرى غيرها خيرًا منها، إلا أتيت الذي هو خير، وتحللتها"
“By Allah, if I swear an oath—and say: In shā’ Allāh—and later see something better, I will do what is better and offer expiation.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3133, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1649❖ Consensus and Explanation:
❀ Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله quoted Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ رحمه الله:
“There is consensus among Muslims that saying ‘In shā’ Allāh’ nullifies the oath, provided it is said immediately after the oath.”
Sharḥ al-Nawawī ʿalā Muslim: 11/119❀ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr رحمه الله said:
“There is ijmāʿ (consensus) that if ‘In shā’ Allāh’ is said in direct continuity with the oath, without any clear break, then this method is permissible.”
Al-Tamhīd: 14/374❀ Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله also said:
“There is ijmāʿ that if someone says ‘In shā’ Allāh’ after an oath, he has the option to act or not act on it, and no expiation is required.”
As Allah said:
﴿وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ﴾
“Do not say about anything: I will do that tomorrow—without saying: If Allah wills.”
(Sūrah al-Kahf: 23–24) Al-Fiṣal fī al-Milal: 3/86❖ Conditions for Valid Exemption (Istithnāʾ) in Oath:
① “In shā’ Allāh” must reflect true reliance on Allah’s Will, not be used for mere formality.
② It must be said immediately after the oath, not delayed.
③ It must be said verbally, not just intended in the heart.
❖ Weak Report (For Awareness Only):
❀ It is attributed to ʿAbdullāh bin ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
“If a person swears an oath, he may make an exception (by saying In shā’ Allāh) even after a year.”
Al-Mustadrak of al-Ḥākim: 4/336 (ḥadīth 7833)⚠ Weak: The narrator al-Aʿmash is a mudallis, and he did not explicitly mention hearing it.
Conclusion:
✔ Saying “In shā’ Allāh” nullifies the binding nature of the oath,
✔ No kaffārah is required if the action is not fulfilled,
✔ This is valid only if “In shā’ Allāh” is said immediately after the oath,
✔ Supported by authentic ahādīth, scholarly consensus, and the practice of the Salaf.
