Q: One day I argued with my nephew in his home. We continued debating (Part No. 20; Page No. 119) until I got very angry. I thus said to my nephew: "If I set foot in your house, my wife will not be united with me in marriage." I along with my family then immediately left my nephew's home. Afterwards, I felt very sorry for swearing such an oath regarding my nephew's home. This oath affected my relationship with my elder sister as I became unable to enter the concerned home or visit my sister there. In other words, I severed the ties of kinship with my sister who did not commit any fault. Could you please give me a Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) on the oath in question so that I become able to visit my sister and nephew? May Allah guide you to all goodness. Verily, Allah is All-Hearing and Oft-Responding.

A: If the reality is as you have mentioned, you have to connect the ties of kinship with your sister and nephew for Allah (Exalted be He) commands Muslims to maintain such ties. However, after entering your nephew's home, you have to offer a Kaffarah (expiation) for the concerned oath. Such a Kaffarah is to feed ten Faqir (poor) people five Sa`s (1 Sa` = 2.172 kg) of wheat, dates, rice, etc. Of the same kind that you provide for your family. You have thus to give each poor person half a Sa` of any of these staple crops. However, if you are unable to do so; you have to observe Sawm (Fast) of three - preferably successive - days. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Allâh will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation feed ten Masâkîn (poor persons), on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families, or clothe them or manumit a slave. But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths when you have sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allâh make clear to you His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that you may be grateful. (Part No. 20; Page No. 120) The same ruling that is mentioned in this Ayah (Qur'anic verse) applies to the oath that you swore regarding making your wife unlawful to you. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.