(الأيمان المشروعة وكفاراتها) للشيخ صالح الأطرم
الفريق العلمي
1435/07/11 - 2014/05/10 16:10PM
خطبة (الأيمان المشروعة وكفاراتها) للشيخ صالح الأطرم
Summary
1) Meaning of a lawful oath and its types.
2) Defining a Legal oath.
3) How to expiate an oath.
4) The ruling of swearing by other than Allah.
5) How one keeps his oath.
6) The ruling of a false oath that results in punishment in hell, and its expiation.
First Khutbah
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. The good abode will be for the righteous and there will be no punishment except for the oppressors. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah. Oaths are never lawful unless one uses one of the Names of Allah or His Attributes. I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and the best man who has ever glorified his Lord (peace be upon him, his family and companions).
O Muslims, hold Allah in reverence. Be aware that oaths are mentioned in the Arabic language and that Arabs used them to add an emphatic tone to their speech. Once we have understood that, we should know what a lawful oath is and what is its expiation; if broken.
O Muslims, a lawful oath is swearing by any of Allah's Names and Attributes, such as, "I swear by my Lord", "I swear by my Creator", "I swear by Allah's Everlasting Living", "I swear by Allah's Words", "I swear by Allah's Glory", or "I swear by the Qur'an" because the Qur'an is the words of Allah and these words are one of His Attributes. This is the lawful oath. If one fulfills it by doing whatever he swore to do, or swore not to do, there is no blame on him for that. For example, if a person says, "I swear by Allah that I shall study my lessons tomorrow" and he studies them, he is not to be blamed for such an oath. Also, if a person says, "I swear by Allah that I shall not study my lessons tomorrow" and he does not study them, he is not to be blamed for such an oath, because in both cases he has fulfilled his oath. If he does not fulfil what he really intended to do or abandon, then expiation becomes obligatory because he has committed perjury.
Dear Muslim brother, as for unintentional oaths uttered by the tongue but with no real intention, there is no expiation for them because they are meaningless oaths as Allah says which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths" (Al-Baqarah: 225).
‘A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) interpreted such oaths as when one says in his house "No, by Allah" or "Yes, by Allah".
When a person swears about a past event and he is truthful in such an oath, he is not to be blamed, but if he lied, this is a sinful oath (perjury) and such a person has committed a sin. There is no expiation for it except for repentance and regret. A Muslim must be cautious not to commit perjury, because the Qur'an and the Sunnah convey a grievous admonition to whoever commits it. Al-Ash’ath bin Qais disputed with a Jew on a tract of land. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said to Al-Ash’ath, "Do you have proof (that you are telling the truth)?" He said, "No". The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "He will swear." Al-Ash’ath replied: "Then, he will swear and take my property." Consequently, this verse was revealed which translates as: "As for those who sell the faith they owe to Allah and their own plighted word for a small price, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter: nor will Allah (desire to) speak to them or look at them on the Day of Judgment, nor will He cleanse them (of sin): they shall have a grievous Penalty" (Aal-Imran: 77).
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "If one takes away a Muslim's money by perjury, he will meet Allah (in the Hereafter) Who will be Wrathful against him. They (the companions) said: Even if it had been a tiny thing, Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)? He (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) replied: Even if it had been a piece of 'Arak (type of wood)".
O Muslims, once we came to know the type of oath upon which expiation is obligatory and that, which is not, we should know how expiation is made. Expiation is made when one has already broken his trust out of his own free will, provided he remembers his oath and that he did not say in his oath, "Allah willing". If he said "Insha Allah" (Allah willing) or acted contrary to his oath under duress or due to forgetfulness, he is not to be held accountable for it.
Expiation refers to absolving one's self from sins and being forgiven for them. It takes any of the following forms:
First: Feeding ten indigent persons according to the average food of one's people, i.e., the people of that area. He should hand over to each Muslim half a Sa`a (measurement of foodstuffs).
Second: Clothing ten indigent people with what would be sufficient for each to make Salaat in.
Third: Emancipating a slave.
If he can not do any of these, he should fast for three days. A person is to choose any of the three means mentioned above or fast according to the order of Allah which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you have sworn" (Al-Ma'idah: 89).
Yet a Muslim must keep his oaths by sticking to piety and righteousness, by avoiding frequent swearing, never committing perjury and performing expiation once it becomes obligatory. Allah say which translates as: "But keep to your oaths." (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 89) He also says which translates as: "And make not Allah's (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons; for Allah is One Who hears and knows all things" (Al-Baqarah: 224).
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "There are three people to whom Allah will not talk or recommend and for them is a severe penalty". One of them is he who sells out his goods by committing perjury. He will not buy or sell except by making a sinful oath.
A Muslim should never swear except to do good deeds. He should not swear to do evil, abandon an obligatory act, or perform a prohibited deed, such as severing ties with one's families and relatives. If he swore to commit an evil deed, he should not carry out the deed, but instead make expiation for this oath. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "Sometimes I swear an oath but I see that it is rather better to do something else. Therefore, I do this better act and expiate for my oath". Allah says which translates as: "Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah's cause: let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful " (An-Nur: 22).
O Muslims, a person should never swear except with the Names and Attributes of Allah, because swearing by other than Allah means glorifying and honoring to the utmost level. None but Allah should be thus glorified and honored. Swearing by other than Allah is an act in opposition to Islamic beliefs; it is an act of shirk. "A Jew came to the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and said: You commit shirk (polytheism) by saying "If Allah and The Prophet willed" and you swear by the K`abah. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) enjoined Muslims to say "I swear by the Lord of the K`abah", and "If Allah and then The Prophet willed", because "and" means equality in status and no one has the same status as Allah. By saying this, this Jew was motivated by his personal yearnings; otherwise, he exercised far deeper paganism and polytheism.
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) also said: "Do not swear by your parents. When one swears, he should either swear by Allah or keep silent". Swearing by other than Allah does not conform with monotheism. Sheikh Muhammad bin `Abdulwahhab, in his book “Ad-D'awa" (The Call), pinpointed this matter.
Swearing by other than Allah is a common practice among many Muslims such as saying "I swear by your life", "I swear by the K`abah", "I swear by honor", "I swear by your head", and "I swear by the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)" and the like. A person habitualy doing so either out of ignorance or even intentionally, should hold Allah in reverence and piety and abandon whatever acts that do not conform with Islamic beliefs. Returning to the true path is a virtue, while doing evil throughout is a vice. We ask Allah to show us the right path and help us follow it, and point out to us what is wrong and help us avoid it. May Allah’s Peace be upon the Prophet, his family and companions. I seek refuge with Allah against the acursed Satan. Allah saya which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts, and He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing"(Al-Baqarah: 225).
Summary
1) Meaning of a lawful oath and its types.
2) Defining a Legal oath.
3) How to expiate an oath.
4) The ruling of swearing by other than Allah.
5) How one keeps his oath.
6) The ruling of a false oath that results in punishment in hell, and its expiation.
First Khutbah
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. The good abode will be for the righteous and there will be no punishment except for the oppressors. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah. Oaths are never lawful unless one uses one of the Names of Allah or His Attributes. I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and the best man who has ever glorified his Lord (peace be upon him, his family and companions).
O Muslims, hold Allah in reverence. Be aware that oaths are mentioned in the Arabic language and that Arabs used them to add an emphatic tone to their speech. Once we have understood that, we should know what a lawful oath is and what is its expiation; if broken.
O Muslims, a lawful oath is swearing by any of Allah's Names and Attributes, such as, "I swear by my Lord", "I swear by my Creator", "I swear by Allah's Everlasting Living", "I swear by Allah's Words", "I swear by Allah's Glory", or "I swear by the Qur'an" because the Qur'an is the words of Allah and these words are one of His Attributes. This is the lawful oath. If one fulfills it by doing whatever he swore to do, or swore not to do, there is no blame on him for that. For example, if a person says, "I swear by Allah that I shall study my lessons tomorrow" and he studies them, he is not to be blamed for such an oath. Also, if a person says, "I swear by Allah that I shall not study my lessons tomorrow" and he does not study them, he is not to be blamed for such an oath, because in both cases he has fulfilled his oath. If he does not fulfil what he really intended to do or abandon, then expiation becomes obligatory because he has committed perjury.
Dear Muslim brother, as for unintentional oaths uttered by the tongue but with no real intention, there is no expiation for them because they are meaningless oaths as Allah says which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths" (Al-Baqarah: 225).
‘A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) interpreted such oaths as when one says in his house "No, by Allah" or "Yes, by Allah".
When a person swears about a past event and he is truthful in such an oath, he is not to be blamed, but if he lied, this is a sinful oath (perjury) and such a person has committed a sin. There is no expiation for it except for repentance and regret. A Muslim must be cautious not to commit perjury, because the Qur'an and the Sunnah convey a grievous admonition to whoever commits it. Al-Ash’ath bin Qais disputed with a Jew on a tract of land. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said to Al-Ash’ath, "Do you have proof (that you are telling the truth)?" He said, "No". The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "He will swear." Al-Ash’ath replied: "Then, he will swear and take my property." Consequently, this verse was revealed which translates as: "As for those who sell the faith they owe to Allah and their own plighted word for a small price, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter: nor will Allah (desire to) speak to them or look at them on the Day of Judgment, nor will He cleanse them (of sin): they shall have a grievous Penalty" (Aal-Imran: 77).
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "If one takes away a Muslim's money by perjury, he will meet Allah (in the Hereafter) Who will be Wrathful against him. They (the companions) said: Even if it had been a tiny thing, Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)? He (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) replied: Even if it had been a piece of 'Arak (type of wood)".
O Muslims, once we came to know the type of oath upon which expiation is obligatory and that, which is not, we should know how expiation is made. Expiation is made when one has already broken his trust out of his own free will, provided he remembers his oath and that he did not say in his oath, "Allah willing". If he said "Insha Allah" (Allah willing) or acted contrary to his oath under duress or due to forgetfulness, he is not to be held accountable for it.
Expiation refers to absolving one's self from sins and being forgiven for them. It takes any of the following forms:
First: Feeding ten indigent persons according to the average food of one's people, i.e., the people of that area. He should hand over to each Muslim half a Sa`a (measurement of foodstuffs).
Second: Clothing ten indigent people with what would be sufficient for each to make Salaat in.
Third: Emancipating a slave.
If he can not do any of these, he should fast for three days. A person is to choose any of the three means mentioned above or fast according to the order of Allah which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you have sworn" (Al-Ma'idah: 89).
Yet a Muslim must keep his oaths by sticking to piety and righteousness, by avoiding frequent swearing, never committing perjury and performing expiation once it becomes obligatory. Allah say which translates as: "But keep to your oaths." (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 89) He also says which translates as: "And make not Allah's (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons; for Allah is One Who hears and knows all things" (Al-Baqarah: 224).
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "There are three people to whom Allah will not talk or recommend and for them is a severe penalty". One of them is he who sells out his goods by committing perjury. He will not buy or sell except by making a sinful oath.
A Muslim should never swear except to do good deeds. He should not swear to do evil, abandon an obligatory act, or perform a prohibited deed, such as severing ties with one's families and relatives. If he swore to commit an evil deed, he should not carry out the deed, but instead make expiation for this oath. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "Sometimes I swear an oath but I see that it is rather better to do something else. Therefore, I do this better act and expiate for my oath". Allah says which translates as: "Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah's cause: let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful " (An-Nur: 22).
O Muslims, a person should never swear except with the Names and Attributes of Allah, because swearing by other than Allah means glorifying and honoring to the utmost level. None but Allah should be thus glorified and honored. Swearing by other than Allah is an act in opposition to Islamic beliefs; it is an act of shirk. "A Jew came to the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and said: You commit shirk (polytheism) by saying "If Allah and The Prophet willed" and you swear by the K`abah. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) enjoined Muslims to say "I swear by the Lord of the K`abah", and "If Allah and then The Prophet willed", because "and" means equality in status and no one has the same status as Allah. By saying this, this Jew was motivated by his personal yearnings; otherwise, he exercised far deeper paganism and polytheism.
The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) also said: "Do not swear by your parents. When one swears, he should either swear by Allah or keep silent". Swearing by other than Allah does not conform with monotheism. Sheikh Muhammad bin `Abdulwahhab, in his book “Ad-D'awa" (The Call), pinpointed this matter.
Swearing by other than Allah is a common practice among many Muslims such as saying "I swear by your life", "I swear by the K`abah", "I swear by honor", "I swear by your head", and "I swear by the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)" and the like. A person habitualy doing so either out of ignorance or even intentionally, should hold Allah in reverence and piety and abandon whatever acts that do not conform with Islamic beliefs. Returning to the true path is a virtue, while doing evil throughout is a vice. We ask Allah to show us the right path and help us follow it, and point out to us what is wrong and help us avoid it. May Allah’s Peace be upon the Prophet, his family and companions. I seek refuge with Allah against the acursed Satan. Allah saya which translates as: "Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts, and He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing"(Al-Baqarah: 225).