What is the kaffarah (expiation) for a broken oath in Islam?

The kaffarah for a deliberately broken oath, based on Quran 5:89, is to choose one of three actions: feed ten needy people with the average food of your family, clothe ten needy people, or free a slave. These acts have a clear social welfare benefit.

What if I cannot afford to feed or clothe ten people for a broken oath?

According to Quran 5:89, if a person cannot find the means to feed or clothe ten people or free a slave, the required expiation is to fast for three days. This is a divine concession for those without financial ability.

Can I give money instead of food for the kaffarah of a broken oath?

The majority of classical scholars, including those of the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools, maintain that giving food or clothing itself is required, not its cash value. The Hanafi school permits giving the monetary equivalent.

Making Up for a Broken Oath (Kaffarah) in Islam: A Quranic Guide

making up for a broken oath

Explore Verses Related to making up for a broken oath

🕌Al-Ma'idah5:89

At a Glance

According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship based on the clear legislation in Quran 5:89, making up for a broken oath (Kaffarat al-Yamin) is a mandatory act of atonement for one who deliberately violates a sworn promise made to Allah. Classical jurists like Al-Qurtubi explain that the verse provides a clear hierarchy of options. The individual is given a choice between three acts with a direct social benefit: feeding ten needy people a meal of average quality to one's own family, providing clothing for them, or freeing a slave. This choice underscores a core principle where personal atonement is linked to community welfare. Only if a person is unable to afford any of these three options does the concession of fasting for three days become the required expiation. This structured process serves as both a path to forgiveness and a lesson in the importance of honoring one's commitments.

📖 Quranic Context

Central to the Islamic legal framework on oaths, highlighting accountability, mercy, and social responsibility.

It is a divinely prescribed path to seek forgiveness and rectify the breaking of a deliberate, sworn promise, demonstrating Allah's provision of a way out of sin.

References: Quran 5:89 provides the definitive and detailed legislation for this specific act of atonement.

💭 Theological Perspective

Addresses the human tendency to make and sometimes break solemn promises, providing a structured path for redemption.

Acts as a mechanism to alleviate guilt and restore spiritual integrity after violating a sacred promise.

Serves as a clear example of how Islamic law (Shari'ah) combines personal accountability with practical, often charitable, acts.

Encourages mindfulness about one's speech and commitments ('guard your oaths'), fostering a character of trustworthiness.

📜 Hadith Perspective

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized fulfilling vows and guided companions on how to perform kaffarah when they were broken.

Breaking an oath made to commit a sin is obligatory, followed by its expiation.
The importance of keeping oaths and the seriousness of breaking them deliberately.
Practical examples of fulfilling the feeding and clothing requirements.

Universal agreement among all schools of Islamic law on the obligation of Kaffarat al-Yamin based on the clear text of Quran 5:89.

💎 Deeper Insights

Search grounding and synthesis of scholarly commentaries reveal that the structure of the Kaffarah is a powerful lesson in Islamic social ethics. By mandating options that benefit the community (feeding, clothing) *before* the personal act of fasting, the Quran embeds social responsibility directly into personal atonement. The path to forgiveness for a personal failing begins with a service to society, teaching that one's relationship with God is inseparable from one's duty to others.

— Al-Qurtubi, Contemporary Scholars