لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ فَكَفَّـٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَـٰكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَـٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّـٰرَةُ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ 89
Translations
Allāh will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses [i.e., revealed law] that you may be grateful.
Transliteration
Lā yu'ākhidhukumu-llāhu bil-laghwi fī aymānikum wa-lākin yu'ākhidhukum bi-mā 'aqqadtumu-l-aymān. Fa-kaffāratuhū iṭ'āmu 'asharati masākīna min awsaṭi mā tuṭ'imūna ahlīkum aw kiswatuhum aw taḥrīru raqabah. Fa-man lam yajid fa-ṣiyāmu thālāthati ayyām. Dhālika kaffāaratu aymānikum idhā ḥalaftum. Wa-ḥfaẓū aymānakum. Kadhālika yubayyinu-llāhu lakum āyātih, la'allakum tashkurūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah distinguishes between casual oaths spoken thoughtlessly (laghw) and deliberate binding oaths, clarifying that Allah does not hold believers accountable for unintentional vain oaths but only for intentional ones. The expiation (kaffārah) for breaking a deliberate oath is structured in a graduated manner: feeding ten poor people with average provisions, clothing them, freeing a slave, or fasting three days if unable to fulfill the previous options. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this merciful framework reflects Allah's compassion while encouraging believers to honor their commitments.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah (the fifth chapter), revealed during the Medinan period when the Muslim community had established itself and needed detailed jurisprudential guidance. The ayah addresses the practical issue of oaths in daily life, providing legal frameworks that balance accountability with mercy—a recurring theme in Medinan legislation regarding contracts and personal conduct.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa-sallam) stated in Sahih Muslim: 'Whoever makes an oath and finds something else better, let him do that which is better and make an expiation for his oath.' Additionally, in Sunan Ibn Mājah and Sunan An-Nasā'ī, there are reports regarding the Prophet's guidance on oath-breaking and the proper conduct of kaffārah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to speak thoughtfully and honor their commitments, while simultaneously demonstrating Allah's mercy through multiple pathways for expiation, reminding us that Islamic law balances accountability with compassion. The graduated structure of the expiation also emphasizes that sincere effort to fulfill obligations—whether through charity, manumission, or fasting—is more important than rigid perfection.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ٱللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةً مِّنكَ ۖ وَٱرْزُقْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ
Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "O Allāh, our Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers."
قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَٰلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ مَن لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْقِرَدَةَ وَٱلْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
Say, "Shall I inform you of [what is] worse than that as penalty from Allāh? [It is that of] those whom Allāh has cursed and with whom He became angry and made of them apes and pigs and slaves of ṭāghūt. Those are worse in position and further astray from the sound way."
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَٱلْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
O you who have believed, take not those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Scripture before you nor the disbelievers as allies. And fear Allāh, if you should [truly] be believers.
مَّا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ
Not upon the Messenger is [responsibility] except [for] notification. And Allāh knows whatever you reveal and whatever you conceal.