What is the scope of an oath sworn using a general category, such as 'not eating dates'?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Expiations

Book 60 · Issue 3 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the specific object of the oath is not explicitly defined, and the swearer did not intend something contrary to the apparent meaning of the wording, nor was the context shifted away from the literal wording, the oath applies only to what the named category encompasses. Therefore, if one swears not to eat dates (*tamr*), they do not break the oath if they eat *rutab* (fresh dates), *bisr* (unripe dates), or *balah* (unripe fruit of the date palm), as these are not fully termed 'dates' in this context.

Supporting text

If one swears not to eat *rutab*, they do not break the oath by eating *tamr*, *bisr*, *balah*, or anything else not specifically termed *rutab*. This view is held by the Shafi'i school and the Ashab al-Ra'y (Hanafi school), and no contrary opinion is known concerning this specific categorization.