Does Moving My Hands to Music Forgetfully Break My Oath Against Dancing?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Does moving my hands to music forgetfully break my oath to never dance in front of men if cured, and do I need to offer expiation?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

The customary meaning of things is given great importance when it comes to oaths. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

In your culture, does merely moving the hand constitute dancing? If so, you must offer the expiation, otherwise, no.

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.