several oaths.These expiations are taking quite a lot of time.
Therefore, in the mean time, can i fasts on mondays and thursdays as
nafil fasts?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
What the Muslim should do is protect his oaths andnot swear oaths a
great deal or swear oaths except with regard to matters that are
deserving of oaths. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning): "And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:89].
Shaykh as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer:
"And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much)" means refrain from
swearing by Allah falsely, or swearing oaths frequently, and protect
them if you do swear oaths by not breaking them, unless breaking the
oath is better.
Tafseer as-Sa'di, 1/242
Secondly:
The expiation for breaking an oath (kafaarat yameen) is to feed or
clothe ten poor persons, or to free a slave.If that is not possible,
then one should fast for three days. Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allah will not punish you for what is uninentional in your oaths, but
He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation (a
deliberate oath) feed ten Masakin (poor persons), on a scale of the
average of that with which you feed your own families; or clothe them;
or manumit a slave.But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should
fast for three days.That is the expiation for the oaths when you have
sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allah
make clear to you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations,etc.) that you may be grateful"
[al-Maa'idah 5:89].
It is not permissible for you to move to the option of fasting unless
you are unable to do any of the three acts of expiation, namely
feedingpoor people, clothing them or freeing a slave.
Ibn al-Mundhir (may Allahhave mercy on him)said:
(The scholars) are unanimously agreed that if a person who swore an
oath is able to feed or clothe poor people, or to free a slave, it is
not acceptable for him to fast if he breaks his oath. End quote.
al-Ijmaa', p. 157
Thirdly:
There is no reason why you should not observe naafil fasts, such as on
Mondays and Thursdays and so on, before observing fasts of expiation,
or before you have finished all of them, but that is on condition that
you do not regard them as part of the expiation.
But we advise you to hasten to observe the fasts of expiation first,
if you are unable to do the things mentioned above with regard to
offering expiation for breaking an oath. Hastening to observe the
fasts of expiation takes priority because it is obligatory and doing
what is obligatory takes precedence over observing naafil fasts.
And Allah knows best.
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