Surah Al-Maidah — Verse 89

Meanings of Key Words:

• Al-Laghw (اللَّغْو): Vain, careless, or unintentional oaths that slip from the tongue without deliberate intention, such as saying "No, by Allah" or "Yes, by Allah" in casual speech.
• ʿAqqadtum (عَقَّدْتُم): You have firmly resolved and intentionally bound yourselves by an oath, with both the utterance and the sincere intention of the heart.
• Kaffārah (كَفَّارَة): An expiation or atonement that covers and erases the sin of breaking an oath.
• Awsat (أَوْسَط): The middle, moderate, or average—meaning the typical, customary food that you feed your own families.
• Taḥrīr Raqabah (تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَة): Freeing a slave from bondage.

The Tafsir (Explanation):

O believers, Allah—in His infinite mercy and wisdom—does not hold you accountable for the oaths that slip from your tongues unintentionally, those casual expressions of habit like "By Allah, I will" or "No, by Allah," where no real intention or resolve lies behind them. Such words carry no weight of sin, for Allah knows what is in your hearts and judges you by your true intentions.

However, He does hold you accountable for oaths that you have deliberately made—those you have bound with sincere resolve and firm intention in your heart, swearing by His glorious name to do or abstain from something. If you then break such an oath, you have incurred a sin that must be expiated. But see how merciful Allah is! He does not leave you in despair; rather, He opens for you a door of purification and forgiveness.

The expiation for breaking a deliberate oath is one of three options, and you may choose whichever you are able to do:

1. Feeding ten poor and needy people with the same moderate, decent food that you feed your own family—not the bare minimum, but the average, respectable fare that sustains your household. Each poor person should receive a reasonable share (approximately half a ṣāʿ of the staple food of your region).
2. Clothing ten poor people with garments that are considered suitable and dignified by the norms of your society—enough to cover them properly and preserve their honor.
3. Freeing a slave—liberating a human being from the shackles of bondage, which is one of the most beloved acts to Allah, as it restores a soul to freedom and dignity.

If a person cannot afford any of these three options—due to genuine poverty or inability—then the expiation becomes fasting for three days. This is a concession of mercy, so that no one is burdened beyond their capacity, and the door of repentance remains open for all.

This, then, is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn by Allah and then broken your word. And Allah commands you: "Guard your oaths" —meaning, be mindful of them. Do not swear by Allah excessively or carelessly, and when you do swear, honor your commitment. But if you find that keeping your oath would lead to harm or sin, then breaking it and paying the expiation is better, and you should pursue the path of goodness.

See how Allah, in His perfect wisdom, clearly explains His signs and commandments to you! He does not leave you in confusion or uncertainty. He lays out the path of righteousness step by step, so that you may understand His religion, appreciate His guidance, and be grateful—thanking Him for teaching you what you did not know and for making the way to His forgiveness easy and accessible.

This verse is a beautiful reflection of Allah's mercy: He knows that humans are weak and may slip, so He provides a means of purification and a way back to His pleasure. Never despair of His mercy, and never think that a broken oath is an unforgivable sin. Turn to your Lord with sincerity, fulfill the expiation with a willing heart, and let this experience draw you closer to Him. For the believer, every mistake is an opportunity to rise higher—through repentance, through charity, through freeing slaves, through fasting—and every act of obedience brings you nearer to the Most Merciful.