Is It Permissible to Swear by Allah Not to Drink Alcohol?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Is it permissible to make an oath to Allah not to do something that’s already haram?

For example, if I say, “I swear to Allah, I will not drink alcohol for the rest of the year. Is this oath permissible?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Making an oath such as ‘I swear by Allah I won’t drink alcohol’ is valid, even though drinking alcohol is forbidden in itself, because you’re swearing to do something good, i.e., to obey Allah. If you break this oath, you will pay an expiation (kaffara).

Drinking Alcohol

The act itself of drinking alcohol is already forbidden in Islam, so you’re already obligated to avoid it, oath or no oath.

Allah Most High says, “Allah will not call you to account for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for deliberate oaths. The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten poor people from what you usually feed your own family, clothe them, or free a bondsperson. But if none of this is affordable, then you must fast for three days. This is the penalty for breaking your oaths. So be mindful of your oaths. This is how Allah makes things clear to you, so perhaps you will be grateful. [Quran; 5:89]

Expiation for a Broken Oath 

Along with the sin of drinking alcohol, you will pay an expiation, which is as follows:

The expiation for a broken oath is:

(a) to free a slave or,
(b) to feed ten adult poor people two meals a day for ten days or
(c) Clothe ten adult poor people with an average quality garment that will cover most of their bodies.

If these are not possible, then,

(d) One must fast for three days in a row. [Ala’uddin Ibn ’Abidin, Al-Hadiyya al-’Ala’iyya]

Oaths over prohibited matters are valid but serve only as reinforcement — yet they still carry consequences if broken.

The Quran advises believers to guard their oaths by not making unnecessary or frequent oaths. Be truthful so oaths are not needed.

And Allah knows best.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

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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.