I Have Sworn That I Wouldn’t Commit a Sin but Then Did It 3 Times. What Should I Do?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I have sworn that I wouldn’t commit a sin but then did it 3 times. What should I do?

Is my Zuhr prayer valid?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmat Allah,

If you verbalized an oath, by actually uttering words, you would need to perform the expiation (kaffara) which is to (a) feed ten poor persons two meals, (b) clothe them with a decent piece of clothing, or (c) give the equivalent value of that.

[Ala’ al-Din ‘Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-‘Ala’iyya]

Please see: Is There a Difference Between Breaking an Oath and Breaking a Promise? and: Expiation for a Broken Oath

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and 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.