What is the ruling on breaking an oath sworn to perform an obligatory act or abandon a forbidden act?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Oaths

Book 59 · Issue 1 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Breaking an oath sworn to perform an obligatory act or to abstain from a forbidden act is forbidden (muharram). This is because the act of breaking the oath involves committing a forbidden act. If the oath was sworn regarding performing a recommended (mandub) act or abandoning a disliked (makruh) act, breaking it is disliked (makruh). If the oath concerns performing a permissible (mubah) act, breaking it is permissible (mubah).