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Fatwa CenterRuling on Expiation for Breaking an Oath and How to Fulfill It
Question
I made an oath to not do a sin, and I broke it a year or 2 ago. I have sufficient money in my bank account to feed 10 poor people, even tho i still live with my parents, but I dont know how to check if theyre muslim. Can I just give food to beggars wearing hijab? Is it ok to buy takeout which I like eating and just give them that? Additionally, I have a very important science competition coming up, so can I delay expiation for a bit? Please do not refer me to another question
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Sin must be abandoned, whether a person has sworn to do so or has not sworn. Whoever swears to refrain from a sin must fulfill his oath and avoid it. If he then happens to commit it, he has broken his oath, sinned, and the expiation becomes obligatory upon him. The expiation is feeding ten Muslim poor people, or clothing them, or freeing a believing slave, or fasting for three days if none of the previous three options is available.
As for giving the expiation to beggars who wear the hijab, if it is commonly understood in your country that only Muslims wear the hijab, then there is no harm in giving it to them, as long as their outward appearance indicates that they are poor. Otherwise, you must search for poor people whose Islam you are certain of, by seeking the help of someone who has experience in this matter or through trustworthy charitable organizations.
As for your buying prepared food that you like and giving it to the poor, there is no harm in doing so if it is of the average type of food that you normally live on. The feeding should amount to two meals (dinner and lunch) for each of the ten poor people.
Since you are able to pay the expiation, you must hasten to pay it, and it is not permissible for you to postpone it because of a scientific competition, because the expiation becomes obligatory immediately upon breaking the oath; this is the basic principle regarding the matter, especially since the reason for breaking the oath is a sin. Imam al-Nawawi said in Al-Majmu‘:
“As for the expiation, if it is due without transgression, such as the expiation for accidental killing and the expiation for an oath in some cases, then it may be delayed without disagreement, because the person is excused. But if it is due because of transgression, is it required immediately or may it be delayed? There are two views on this matter, as reported by al-Qaffāl and other Shāfiʿī scholars; the preponderant opinion is that it is required immediately.”
Allah Knows best.
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