Is an oath not to perform an action considered violated if only a part of the action is performed, according to the prevailing view?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Expiations

Book 60 · Issue 6 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

The second narration holds that the oath is not broken unless the entirety is performed. This is narrated from Ahmad, chosen by Abu Al-Khattab, and aligns with the Madhhabs of Abu Hanifa and Al-Shafi'i. This applies to anything sworn against: one is not considered to have violated the oath until the whole act is done. Evidence is found in the Prophet's interaction with Aisha while in I'tikaf, where his action of merely extending his head out of the Masjid suffices as the act related to the restriction, and in the narration where the Prophet told Ubayy ibn Ka'b he would not leave the Masjid until he taught him a Surah, but when he put his leg out of the Masjid, he taught him. The oath relates to the totality, and the part does not dissolve the oath concerning the whole, similar to affirmative oaths.