What Should I Do After Breaking an Oath?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Some years ago I did a sin. After my prayer I said “Allah I swear to You that I will never do that again. ” but after a long time I did it.

What should I do?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

This is an oath (yamin) to avoid a sin, and accordingly, you would give the expiation (kaffara) for breaking it.

The expiation is to: (a) feed ten poor people two full meals, (b) to clothe them decently, or (c) to give the monetary equivalent of that.

In future, avoid using oaths and the like to avoid sin and the like. And if you have an ongoing or recurring sin, consider getting some professional help.

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

Please also see: What is the Difference Between a Promise, an Oath, and a Vow? and: Expiation for a Broken Oath and: Is Expiation Required for Each Instance You Break an Oath?

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.