Does One Kaffara Suffice for Multiple Broken Oaths?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

Over the years, I have sworn many oaths, on different matters, many of them under compulsive misgivings (waswasa), and I broke some.

I read in one of your answers that where several expiations fall due, they merge into one.

Does that apply when the oaths were about different things? Do oaths sworn under waswasa count at all? I want to discharge this and be done with it.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful. May Allah reward your sincere resolve to clear your conscience and grant you ease.

The way forward is simpler than you may think, and Allah has made the path to relief open and accessible.

For your situation, one expiation will cover all the oaths you actually broke. As for the oaths that arose only from waswasa, they never bound you at all, and you are not responsible for them.

Which Oaths Counted at All

An oath is only what is spoken aloud. Thoughts or worries that remain in your mind, without being uttered, do not count as oaths. There is nothing to discharge for them.

If you spoke words while truly overwhelmed by waswasa, and not in control of your speech, you are not held to those utterances.

Scholars such as Ibn Abidin have explained that such pronouncements do not take effect. If you were genuinely compelled in those moments, those words did not count as oaths.

There is an important distinction: if you spoke an oath hastily, but you were present in mind and not overwhelmed, then it does count as an oath in the Hanafi school, even if you did not intend it deeply.

The key is whether you were truly overpowered by waswasa or not. Reflect on your past moments with this in mind, decide once, and then do not revisit or worry about them again.

One Expiation for Whatever Remains

For the oaths that did count and were broken, the Hanafi school holds that if several expiations become due, they merge into one. This is the position of Imam Muhammad, as related by Ibn Abidin and others.

The ruling applies to all oaths, even if they were about different matters. What merges is the expiation itself, which is of one type, regardless of the details of the oaths.

What to Actually Do

Give one expiation now, and then consider the matter closed.

Allah Most High says: “Allah will not take you to task for thoughtlessly uttered oaths, but rather for swearing binding oaths, the expiation for breaking which is to feed ten unfortunates the usual fare you feed your own families, or to clothe them, or to free a slave; So whoever finds no means to do any of these, then to fast three days: That is the expiation of your oaths when you have sworn.” [Quran 5:89; Keller, The Quran Beheld]

Feed ten poor people two meals each, or clothe them.

In the Hanafi school, you may also give the equivalent value in money, and a trustworthy charity can carry this out for you. If you truly cannot afford this, then fast three consecutive days instead.

Close the Account and Walk On

Once you have given the expiation, your responsibility is fulfilled. There is no need to recount or keep score; the Shariah does not ask this of you.

Allah has made this door easy so that you can move forward with peace.

Guard your tongue gently in the future, say ‘in sha’ Allah’ when you speak of what you intend, and trust your affairs to your Lord.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Related SeekersGuidance Answers

• Does Breaking an Oath Repeatedly Require Multiple Kaffaras? — The answer the asker quotes: one expiation for repeated breaches.
• How Do I Expiate for an Oath I Broke Multiple Times? — The practical steps of expiating after repeated breaking.
• What Are Kaffarat (Expiations), and Are They of One Type or Multiple Types? — The five kinds of expiation and what each requires.
• How Should One Give an Expiation (Kaffara) Living in the West? — Giving the expiation practically, including sending its value abroad.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.

«النصوص»

قال ابن عابدين رحمه الله تعالى في كتاب الأيمان، مطلب تتعدد الكفارة لتعدد اليمين: «وفي البغية: كفارات الأيمان إذا كثرت تداخلت، ويخرج بالكفارة الواحدة عن عهدة الجميع. وقال شهاب الأئمة: هذا قول محمد. قال صاحب الأصل: هو المختار عندي. اهـ مقدسي، ومثله في القهستاني عن المنية» [ابن عابدين، رد المحتار، كتاب الأيمان]

وفي انعقاد يمين المخطئ: «قوله (أو مخطئًا): من أراد شيئًا فسبق لسانه إلى غيره كما أفاده القهستاني… ولذا صح من المخطئ أيضًا» [ابن عابدين، رد المحتار، كتاب الأيمان]

وفي الموسوس: «وعن الليث: لا يجوز طلاق الموسوس، قال: يعني المغلوب في عقله، وعن الحاكم: هو المصاب في عقله إذا تكلم يتكلم بغير نظام» [ابن عابدين، رد المحتار]