Title

Making an oath and touching the Quran

Question

What should a person do if he swear by Allah by touching the Holy Quran in the mosque in front of another person  but after some day he  thinks that he should not keep the promise he made detail: A person swears by Allah that he will marry another girl . he made this promise in presence of that girl and by touching the Holy Quran in the mosque. Moreover he sweared that if he does not keep his promise then he will die as a Kafer . The person did this promise because the girl threatend that if he does not promise then the girl will publish the secret relationship to the society  which will destroy both of them. But later the person found that he cannot marry that girl ---it is impossible for him. he got married another girl with the choice of his parents and turned himself to God --at least trying to be religious. He also left the country with his new wife.Now what should he do  regarding the promise? He promised  that if he does not marry the 1st girl then he will die as a kafer(disbeliever). this is the most fearful part.Please advise

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

Allah’s name is very sacred and should not be taken for play or flimsy reasons.  When a person takes an oath on the name of Allah, it is incumbent upon him to fulfill that oath.  When he does not fulfill (breaks) the oath, it is compulsory upon him to give Kaffarah (penance) for misusing the name of Allah.  Allah Ta’ala says:

لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الْأَيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آَيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (المائدة : 89)

Allah will not call you to account for your futile (unintentional and foolish) oaths, but will call you to account for (breaking) those oaths that you take deliberately.  The Kaffarah for this is to either feed ten poor persons with food of average quality with which you feed your families, or to clothe them (ten poor person with clothing that at least covers the major portions of the body), or to free a slave.  Whoever does not find this (is unable to carry out the above three options), should fast for three (consecutive) days.  This is the Kaffarah for your oaths when you take them (break) them.  Protect you oaths! In this way Allah explains His verses so that you may show gratitude.

(Al-Maidah : 89)

You have a choice for three things for the Kaffarah of breaking a vow.

1. Feed ten poor people an average two meals.

2. Clothe ten poor people enough clothes to cover the majority of their bodies.

3. Free a slave (not applicable in these times)

If one can not do the above three for a valid reason then he may fast for three consecutive days.

An oath does not take place by only keeping your hand on the Qur’an.

Fatawa Mahmoodia (11:172) Maktaba Mahmoodia

- محض قران پر ہاتہ رکہنا قسم نہیں (قتاوی محمودیہ 11:172)

- اگر قرآن مجید ہاتہ میں لے کر یا اس پر ہاتہ رکہ کر کوئ پات کہی لیکن قسم نہیں کہائ ، یا یوں کہا "اس قرآن کی قسم" تو قسم نہیں ہوئ ، البتہ اگر قرآن کی طرف اشارہ کۓ بغیر کہا "قرآن کی قسم" یا "کلام اللہ کی قسم" یا قرآن کی طرف اشارہ کر کے کہا "اس میں جو کلام اللہ ہے اس کی قسم" تو قسم ہو جاۓ گی، توڑنے پر کفارہ واجب ہوگا (احسن الفتاوی 5:488)
 

If your intention at the time of taking the oath was to become a kaafir when the oath breaks, then that constitutes kufr as that is an indication of accepting kufr.  If you did not have this belief and thought it was another form of taking oath then this does not affect your Imaan in anyways.  As for this making you a kaafir in the future, this is not true.  Seek repentance from Allah for such statements and engage yourself in the obedience of Allah.  In the future refrain from such types of statements which puts one’s Imaan in danger.

Dar Al-Mukhtar (3:717) H.M. Saeed Company

القسم أيضا بقوله ( إن فعل كذا فهو ) يهودي أو نصراني أو فاشهدوا علي بالنصرانية أو شريك للكفار أو ( كافر ) فيكفر بحنثه لو في المستقبل ، أما الماضي عالما بخلافه فغموس . واختلف في كفره ( و ) الأصح أن الحالف ( لم يكفر ) سواء ( علقه بماض أو آت ) إن كان عنده في اعتقاده أنه ( يمين وإن كان ) جاهلا . و ( عنده أنه يكفر في الحلف ) بالغموس وبمباشرة الشرط في المستقبل ( يكفر فيهما ) لرضاه بالكفر - دار المختار مع الشامى (3:717)

And Allah knows best

Ehzaz Ajmeri,

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa