Kaffarah for breaking a false oath


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Q 1: I am a student in an institute affiliated to Ansar Al-Sunnah Al-Muhammadiyyah Group (Supporters of the Sunnah of the Prophet) in Kassala. There is an Islamic union for the students of Eritrea. However, there are bitter disputes between the union and the group. It is, thus, prohibited for the students of the institute to join this union. I have got involved with the union. When it came to the knowledge of the institute supervisor, he asked me if I am a member of the union and I replied in the negative. However, he forced me to swear that I am not. I swore and thought that I might not have committed a sin. I would like to ask whether the oath I swore is false or a Kaffarah (expiation) must be offered. Please, be informed that if I had not been forced to swear, I would not have sworn. Necessity compelled me to swear to continue my religious education; otherwise I would have been expelled from the institute.


A: The oath you took is a "false oath" which is a major sin for which no Kaffarah is sufficient, because it is a grave sin. No Kaffarah is required for it according to the most correct opinion of scholars. Rather, you must make Tawbah (repentance to Allah) and seek Allah's Forgiveness.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.




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