1. A person took an oath that he will not lie down on
this mat. Thereafter he spread a sheet onto this mat and lied down. His oath
will break. And if he placed some other mat or carpet onto the first mat and
then lied down, his oath will not break.

1. A person took an oath that he will not fast.
Thereafter, he made the intention to fast. If he fasts for even a second, his
oath will break. By his taking an oath not to fast does not mean that he has to
fast the entire day. By breaking his fast even after a little while, he will
have to give kaffarah for breaking his oath. If the person says: “I will
not even keep one fast”, his oath will break at the time of the end of the fast.
As long as the time of fasting does not come to an end, his oath will not break.
If the person breaks his fast before the end of the day, his oath will not
break.

1. A person took an oath that he will not purchase a
certain item. Thereafter he asked someone to purchase it for him. If that person
purchases it, his oath will not break. Similarly, a person took an oath that he
will not sell a certain item of his. Thereafter, he asked someone to sell it for
him. If that person sells it, his oath will not break. The same rule will apply
to rental transactions. If he took an oath that he will not rent a particular
house, and thereafter took it on rent through someone else, his oath will not
break.

1. A person takes an oath that he will not speak to a
certain person. While that person was asleep, he spoke to him. Upon hearing his
voice, that person awoke. His oath will break.

2. A person takes an oath that he will not speak to a
certain person without the permission of his (the former’s) mother. Thereafter,
his mother gave him permission to speak but her permission had not reached him
as yet. If he spoke to the person and only learnt later that permission was
granted to him, his oath will break.

1. A person took an oath that he will not drink this
milk. Thereafter that milk turned into yoghurt and he consumed it. His oath will
not break.

2. A person had a kid goat and took an oath that he
will not consume the meat of that kid. After that kid grew into a fully grown
adult goat, he consumed its meat. His oath will break.

3. A person took an oath that he will not consume any
meat. Thereafter, he consumed some fish, liver or the tripe of an animal. His
oath will not break.

1. A person took an oath that he will never enter your
house. Thereafter, he stood on the porch or below the balcony of your house
without actually entering the house. His oath will not be broken. However, the
moment he enters through the door, his oath will break.

2. A person took an oath that he will not enter a
particular house. Thereafter, when that house became completely delapidated and
ruined, he entered it. His oath will break. But if that house was completely
flattened to such an extent that there are no traces of it, or it has been
turned into an orchard, or a musjid has been constructed in its place, or it has
been turned into a farm and thereafter he entered it, his oath will not be
broken.

1. If a person breaks his oath, he will have to pay a
kaffarah which comprises feeding 10 persons with two meals each. Alternatively,
he could give dry groceries to each poor person. When giving wheat, he should
give approximately one and half to two kilos. When giving barley, he should give
approximately three to four kilos. For the rest of the details connected to
feeding the poor refer to the chapter on kaffarah for fasting. This has been
mentioned previously.

1. It is an evil habit to take an oath over trivial
matters unnecessarily. In doing this, great disrespect is shown to the name of
Allah Ta’ala. As far as possible, an oath should not even be taken on things
that are true.

2. If a person takes an oath in the name of Allah by
saying: “I swear by Allah”, “I swear by God”, “I swear by the power of Allah”,
or “I swear by the greatness of Allah”, the oath will be considered. It will not
be permissible to go contrary to the oath. If the name of Allah Ta’ala is not
taken, and one merely says: “I take an oath that I will not do such and such
work”, the oath will still be considered.