Did I Break My Oath by Viewing Her Photos After Vowing Not to Meet or Text Her?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I made oaths asking Allah to punish me if I met or texted a girl with bad intentions. Although I didn’t meet or text her, I viewed her photos and videos online and committed a sinful act. Did I break my oaths, and is expiation required?
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 and for seeking an answer and guidance to a religious question.
You did not break your oath; it only applied if you met the girl or texted her. Therefore, no expiation (kaffara) is required. However, you should repent and seek forgiveness and continue to do so.
As a reminder, an expiation (kaffara) is as follows:
Expiation for a Broken Oath
- free a slave (not applicable in these times)– or,
- donate clothing to 10 poor people (clothing must be able to cover enough of the body for prayer to be valid) – or,
- feed ten poor people one meal (the monetary value of the food donated to 10 poor people suffices).
If none of the above is within one’s ability, one must fast for three consecutive days. [‘Ala’uddin Ibn ‘Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-‘Ala’iyya]
May Allah Most High guide us to what pleases Him, forgive us for our shortcomings, and alleviate our difficulties, Amin.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha’ Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.
Related
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? You can choose from the Islamic Studies Curriculum or the Youth Islamic Studies Curriculum and progress through each course step by step.
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
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.
