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12,62029/03/2009

When there is a conflict between fulfilling an oath and honouring one’s parents

Question: 128946

What is the ruling on breaking the oath when one is not able to fulfil it? What is the ruling if fulfilling the oath conflicts with honouring one’s parents?.

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

Firstly: 

The oath that one swears and resolves to do must be fulfilled
by doing what one swore to do or refraining from what one swore to refrain
from. If he does not do that, then he must offer kafaarat yameen (expiation
for breaching an oath). Expiation for breaking an oath has been discussed in
detail in the answer to question number
45676

Secondly: 

If fulfilling an oath conflicts with honouring one’s parents,
then precedence must be given to honouring one’s parents, and one must break
the oath and offer expiation, so long as there is no sin involved in doing
so. 

Muslim (1650) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: “Whoever swears an oath then sees that something else is
better than it, let him do that and offer expiation for his oath.” 

Al-Nawawi said:  

In these hadeeths there is evidence that if a person swears
to do something or not to do something, and breaking the oath is better than
fulfilling the oath, it is mustahabb for him to break it but he must offer
expiation. This is agreed upon. End quote. 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 23/124: 

If you swear by Allah not to take something in the future,
then this is regarded as an oath that one must adhere to if adhering to it
is an act of obedience to Allah. But if adhering to it is an act of
disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, or you think that something else is
better than it, then you may break your oath by doing something that is
contrary to what you swore to do. End quote. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
13/124 

See also the answer to question number
9985.

Source

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