What is the Ruling of Saying Wallahi in Habitually Regular Speech?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I have a mental problem with which I always think that I say wallahi for some things because I learned that if you say wallahi, you have to do it, and where I am from, we are used to saying wallahi without meaning it.

Hence, I became scared of saying it, and it became a psychological problem for me; whenever I want to do something or anything that has the word “will” in the statement, I begin to think that I said wallahi, I have many questions about this, but please answer this one first.

I told myself I would finish watching a video; if it weren’t complete, I would tap the audio to hear the rest. I tapped audio, but there was no more, and then I started to think about whether I said wallahi or not. If I told Wallahi in that statement, do I have to do kaffara since there was no more audio left?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

You do not have to give an expiation (kaffara) in the above case. Work on removing saying Wallahi from your speech and take some advice from others. These oaths are baseless. Refrain from uttering these types of statements.

No Account For Baseless Oaths

Allah Most High says, “Allah will not call you to account for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for deliberate oaths.” [Quran, 5:89]

Swear by Allah or Keep Quiet

Abdullah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) found Umar ibn al-Khattab while he was upon his mount, swearing an oath by his father. The Prophet said, “Surely Allah prohibits you from swearing an oath by your fathers. Whoever swears an oath, let him swear by Allah or remain silent.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Do Not Swear Many Oaths 

Abu Qatada (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)“Beware of swearing many oaths while trading. Verily, it helps trade but erases the blessing.” [Muslim]

Al-Nawawi said, “In this is the prohibition of swearing many oaths while trading, as it is disapproved to swear an oath without a need to do so.” [Nawawi, Sharḥ al-Nawawī ‘ala Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]

Oath That Requires Expiation

An oath that requires expiation is an oath in which one swears that they will do or will not do something in the name of Allah, and then they do contrary to what they said.  [Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab]

There are three types of oaths:

The Engulfing Oath (Yamin ghamus) is to swear by Allah that one did or did not do something in the past while deliberately lying about it. This is a major sin, so enormous that no expiation is due since expiation is not enough to lift the sin. Instead, one must make sincere repentance and seek Allah’s forgiveness.

The Enacted Oath (yamin mun‘aqida) is to swear to do or not do something in the future. If one breaks this type of oath, expiation is due.

The expiation is to feed ten poor persons (2 meals each), clothe them (1 garment each), or give them the equivalent monetary value. If one cannot do that, one must fast for three consecutive days.

The Mistaken Oath (Yamin laghw) is swearing about something in the past, thinking it is true, when, in reality, it is not. No expiation is due, and we hope Allah will not hold the person accountable for it.

In summary, one should avoid uttering oaths using Allah’s name unnecessarily for any small and trivial matter, whether Islamically or worldly. This is a form of disrespect, using Allah’s name in every speech and sentence one speaks.

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Check related links:
oath Archives – SeekersGuidance
What Do I Do If I Have Uncertainty About Oaths/Vows, Whether I Uttered or Just Had Thoughts? – SeekersGuidance
A Reader on OCD and Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings) (seekers.flywheelstaging.com)
128 – Types of Oaths To Avoid and Speaking Justly – Birgivi’s Path of Muhammad – Sh Faraz Rabbani (youtube.com)

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekers.flywheelstaging.com)?

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.