What is the ruling on expiation (Kaffarah) for breaking an oath concerning a future act?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Oaths
Primary text
There is no difference among the jurists of the major cities that expiation is due when the oath concerns future actions. Ibn Abd al-Barr stated that there is a consensus among Muslims that expiation is required for oaths concerning future actions. If one swears to do something and then does the opposite, expiation is due. If the oath was limited by time, intention, or context, and the time has passed without the action being done, breaking the oath occurs, and expiation is due.
Supporting text
A group holds that if the act of breaking the oath (Hanith) constitutes an act of obedience (Ta'ah), no expiation is required. Some argue that the expiation for swearing to commit a sin is simply abandoning that sin. Saeed ibn Jubayr interpreted 'Laghw' (vain oath) as swearing to something inappropriate, meaning no expiation is due upon breaking it. Furthermore, a narration states: "There is no vow (Nadhr) nor oath regarding what a person does not control, nor concerning disobedience to Allah, nor concerning severing kinship. Whoever swears an oath and sees something better than it, let him leave it and do what is better, for abandoning it is its expiation."