Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the expiation (kaffārah) for breaking an oath?
The expiation (kaffārah) for breaking an oath is one of the following three options, based on a person’s capacity:
① Feeding ten needy people with average food that one would feed their own family,
or
② Providing clothing to ten needy people,
or
③ Freeing a slave.
If a person is unable to do any of these three, then they must:
④ Fast for three days.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ﴾
“The expiation for (breaking) an oath is to feed ten needy people with the average of what you feed your own families, or clothe them, or free a slave. But whoever cannot find [the means]—then let him fast for three days. That is the expiation for your oaths when you swear.”
(Sūrah al-Mā'idah: 89)
To expiate for a broken oath, one must do one of the following:
❶ Feed ten poor people (average household meal),
❷ Clothe ten poor people,
❸ Free a slave.
If unable to do any of the above:
❹ Fast for three days.
✿ Question:
What is the expiation (kaffārah) for breaking an oath?
✿ Answer:
The expiation (kaffārah) for breaking an oath is one of the following three options, based on a person’s capacity:
① Feeding ten needy people with average food that one would feed their own family,
or
② Providing clothing to ten needy people,
or
③ Freeing a slave.
If a person is unable to do any of these three, then they must:
④ Fast for three days.
❀ Qur’anic Evidence:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ﴾
“The expiation for (breaking) an oath is to feed ten needy people with the average of what you feed your own families, or clothe them, or free a slave. But whoever cannot find [the means]—then let him fast for three days. That is the expiation for your oaths when you swear.”
(Sūrah al-Mā'idah: 89)
Summary:
To expiate for a broken oath, one must do one of the following:
❶ Feed ten poor people (average household meal),
❷ Clothe ten poor people,
❸ Free a slave.
If unable to do any of the above:
❹ Fast for three days.
