What is the expiation for breaking an oath?

What the expiation consists of

The scholars describe the expiation as a choice between three options, with fasting as a fallback only when none of the three is possible. Shaykh Ibn Baz set out the details in a fatwa on the subject: feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave. In feeding, each poor person receives half a sa' of the staple food of the land — dates, wheat or similar. In clothing, each receives what would be sufficient for prayer, such as a shirt, a waist-wrapper and a cloak. If a person is unable to feed, clothe or free, then he fasts three days.

The Qur'an states the ruling directly:

"Allah does not take you to task for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He takes you to task for oaths you have bound. The expiation is feeding ten poor people from the average of what you feed your families, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. Whoever cannot find the means, then fasting three days. That is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn."— Qur'an 5:89

The Hanbali texts add that the three days of fasting are to be consecutive, and that fasting is not permitted while a person is able to feed, clothe or free. IslamWeb (fatwa 300331) states this explicitly: fasting does not suffice when one is able to feed, clothe or free.

When the expiation becomes due

The expiation is owed when you break an oath that was properly contracted. The scholars set out conditions for this:

• The oath must be contracted (mun'aqidah): it must be sworn about a future, possible matter — that you will do something or will not do it. An oath about a past event you know to be false (al-ghamus) carries no expiation, only sin if it was a deliberate lie.
• You must have sworn willingly: an oath made under compulsion does not contract.
• You must have intended the oath: words that slip out without intent, such as "no, by Allah" in ordinary speech, are laghw (vain speech) and carry no expiation.
• You must have broken it deliberately and while remembering: if you did what you swore not to do out of forgetfulness or under compulsion, there is no expiation and the oath remains.

Al-Shanqiti's commentary explains the reasoning for forgetfulness: the purpose of the expiation is to address the violation of the oath's sanctity, and one who forgets has not violated that sanctity.

Breaking the oath may be the better course

The scholars are clear that breaking an oath is not always wrong — sometimes it is required or recommended. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Whoever swears an oath and then sees that something else is better, let him do what is better and make expiation for his oath."— Sahih Muslim 1650

Al-Tuwayjri's summary sets out the ruling by category: it is recommended to break an oath if keeping it would mean doing something disliked or leaving something recommended; it is obligatory to break it if you swore to leave a duty or to do something forbidden; and it is permissible to break it if you swore about a neutral matter.

If you have several broken oaths

The scholars differ on whether multiple oaths require multiple expiations. The Hanbali school holds that if several oaths are owed before any expiation is paid, one expiation suffices — this is the well-known position of Imam Ahmad. The majority hold that each oath requires its own expiation. IslamWeb (fatwa 280882) notes the Hanbali position and adds that the safer course is to give one expiation per oath, to avoid the disagreement.

Where the oaths are about the same matter and repeated, the scholars cited here hold that only one expiation is due. Where they are about different matters, the majority require one per oath.

In practice

If you have broken an oath, the simplest path is to feed ten poor people, or clothe them, or free a slave. If you cannot afford any of these, fast three consecutive days. If you have broken several oaths and are unsure how many, IslamWeb (fatwa 216370) advises giving what you reasonably believe will clear your responsibility.

Key takeaways

• The expiation for breaking an oath is feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave — your choice among the three.
• Fasting three days is only permitted when you are genuinely unable to do any of the three.
• No expiation is due for an oath broken out of forgetfulness or under compulsion, or for words spoken without intent.
• Breaking an oath can be better than keeping it — the Prophet ﷺ instructed doing what is better and making expiation.
• The Hanbali school holds that one expiation suffices for several oaths owed before payment; the majority require one per oath.

And Allah knows best.