Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❀ Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا أحلف على يمين فأرى غيرها خيرا منها إلا أتيت الذى هو خير وتحللتها
Translation:
“I do not swear an oath upon something, then see something else that is better than it, except that I do what is better and expiate my oath.”
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إذا حلفت على يمين ورأيت غيرها خيرا منها فأت الذى هو خير وكفر عن يمينك
Translation:
“When you swear an oath to do something, then see something else that is better than it, do what is better and offer expiation for your oath.”
❀ Sayyidunā Maʿqil bin Yasār رضي الله عنه narrates:
I received a proposal concerning my sister. My cousin came, so I married my sister to him. He then gave her a revocable divorce until her waiting period ended. After that, he sent a proposal for a new marriage. I said: “No, by Allah! I will never marry her to you.” Regarding me, this verse was revealed:
﴿وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَنْ يَنْكِحْنَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَاضَوْا بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 232]
Translation:
“And when you divorce women and they have reached the end of their waiting period, do not prevent them from marrying their husbands if they agree among themselves in a lawful manner.”
Thereafter, I gave the expiation for my oath and married her to him.
Question:
Is it necessary to fulfill an oath?Answer:
If a person takes an oath regarding a matter and later realizes that another course of action is better, then he should carry out the better action and offer the expiation (kaffārah) for the oath. In such a case, it is not obligatory for him to fulfill the oath.❀ Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا أحلف على يمين فأرى غيرها خيرا منها إلا أتيت الذى هو خير وتحللتها
Translation:
“I do not swear an oath upon something, then see something else that is better than it, except that I do what is better and expiate my oath.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3133
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1649
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إذا حلفت على يمين ورأيت غيرها خيرا منها فأت الذى هو خير وكفر عن يمينك
Translation:
“When you swear an oath to do something, then see something else that is better than it, do what is better and offer expiation for your oath.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6722
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1652
❀ Sayyidunā Maʿqil bin Yasār رضي الله عنه narrates:
I received a proposal concerning my sister. My cousin came, so I married my sister to him. He then gave her a revocable divorce until her waiting period ended. After that, he sent a proposal for a new marriage. I said: “No, by Allah! I will never marry her to you.” Regarding me, this verse was revealed:
﴿وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَنْ يَنْكِحْنَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَاضَوْا بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 232]
Translation:
“And when you divorce women and they have reached the end of their waiting period, do not prevent them from marrying their husbands if they agree among themselves in a lawful manner.”
Thereafter, I gave the expiation for my oath and married her to him.
Reference: Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2087
Reference: Its chain is ḥasan
