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  • Promises To Allah Vs Solemn Oaths

    Posted by Sana on December 18, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    What is the difference between promises to Allah and Oaths? For example, in my youth, I would frequently speak to Allah via dua after my prayers, promising to do X and Y, promising to be a better person. Do these count as oaths? Have I accidentally been making oaths this entire time?

    When I made these statements, I only intended them to be promises to Allah, not oaths. Should I count these statements as an oath or promise? Moving forward, am I allowed to make promises with Allah (without intending them to be oaths)?

    Umer replied 2 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
  • 1 Reply
  • Promises To Allah Vs Solemn Oaths

    Umer updated 2 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
  • Umer

    Moderator December 19, 2021 at 2:24 pm

    Quran says:

    لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمْ 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 آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

    Allah will not hold you accountable for your inadvertent oaths, but He will definitely hold you accountable for oaths you swear with solemn intention. So if such an oath is broken, its atonement is the feeding of ten needy persons of a standard with which you normally feed your own families or the clothing of ten needy people or the liberation of one slave. But whosoever cannot afford these should fast for three days. This is the atonement for the oaths when you have sworn. And be true to that which you have sworn. Thus Allah explains to you His verses that you may be grateful. (5:89)

    The term promise is at times used in the meaning of sincere try / sincere struggle to achieve something and it is also used synonymous with an Oath. Therefore, it comes down to your intention, whether you were making such a promise with solemn intention of an Oath or not, if not, then there’s no atonement, and if it’s the other way round, then there will be atonement as mentioned in the above verses. From the limited information available, it seems like your promises were not with the intention of a solemn oath. However, you can decide your situation in a much better way.

    Sharia on Oaths And Their Atonement:

    Discussion 62809

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