Does swearing not to enter a house through its door result in breaking the oath by entering through another opening?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Expiations

Book 60 · Issue 1 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If a person swears an oath not to enter a specific house through its door, and subsequently enters through an opening other than the door, the oath is not broken. This is because the oath specifically restricted entry via the door, and no other means of entry was encompassed by the restriction. One Shafii position suggests that the oath is broken if the intent behind the oath was to avoid the entire house, provided the door itself was not the specific cause that instigated the oath, analogous to swearing not to stay with one's wife in a house and then staying with her in a different house.

Supporting text

If the door of the house is moved to another location and the person enters through the new location, the oath is broken because entry occurred through the door of that house.