The Holy Quran 5:89 — Surah Al-Ma'idah

Arabic text

لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ فَكَفَّـٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَـٰكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَـٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّـٰرَةُ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Translation

Allaah will not call you to account for your futile (unintentional and foolish) oaths, but will call you to account for (breaking) those oaths that you take deliberately (resolve firmly). The Kaffaarah for this (for breaking a deliberate oath) is to either feed ten poor persons with food of average quality with which you feed your families, or to clothe them (the ten poor persons with clothing that at least covers a major portion of the body), or to free a (Muslim or non-Muslim) slave. Whoever does not find this (is unable to carry out any of the above three options), should fast for three (consecutive) days. This is the Kaffaarah for your oaths when you take (break) them. Protect your oaths (take them for good reason only and do not break them) ! In this way Allaah explains His verses so that you may show gratitude (for the guidance He gives you).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

On idle oaths: that is, there is no kaffarah (expiation) for them in this world, as there is obligatorily for a yamin mun'aqidah (binding oath). The explanation of the idle and frivolous oath has already been given towards the end of the juz' Sayaqul (one of the thirty parts of the Quran).

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