How Can I Start Afresh After Many Broken Oaths?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: As salamu alaykum,

I have made many oaths/promises to Allah, mostly out of stress after committing a sin or because of other reasons. I don’t even remember how many oaths I made (not even an estimate), and don’t even remember what many of those oaths were.

What can I do to start afresh?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

Make a reasonable judgement as to the number of oaths you made, and what exactly you made an oath to do or not do, and then endeavour to fulfil that to the best of your ability.

If any of those require expiation, then for each broken oath you need to (a) feed ten poor persons two meals each or (b) clothe them with a decent piece of clothing. You can also give the monetary equivalent of either of those things. If financially unable, then you would fast three days consecutively.

Please also see: Expiation for a Broken Oath and: What is the Difference Between a Promise, an Oath, and a Vow? and: How Do I Break an Oath that is Difficult to Keep?

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam was born and raised in Ipswich, England, a quiet town close to the east coast of England. His journey for seeking sacred knowledge began when he privately memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown at the age of 16. He also had his first experience in leading the tarawih (nightly-Ramadan) prayers at his local mosque. Year after year he would continue this unique return to reciting the entire Quran in one blessed month both in his homeland, the UK, and also in the blessed lands of Shaam, where he now lives, studies and teaches.