5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لاَ يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَـكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الأَيْمَانَ ...

5: 89. 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:

C792. Vows of penance or abstention may sometimes be futile, or even stand in the way of really good or virtuous act.

See 2:224-226, and notes 251, 252.

The general principles established are:

1. take no futile oaths;

2. use not Allah's name, literally or in intention, to fetter yourself against doing a lawful or good act:

3. keep to your solemn oaths to the utmost of your ability;

4. where you are unable to do so, expiate your failure by feeding or clothing the poor, or obtaining some one's freedom, or if you have not the means, by fasting. This is from a spiritual aspect.

If any party suffers damage from your failure, compensation will be due to him, but would be question of law or equity.

... فَكَفَّارَتُهُ ...

for expiation,

... إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ...

- feed then indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families;

- or clothe them;

- or give a slave his freedom.

... فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ...

- If that is beyond your means, fast for three days.

... ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُواْ أَيْمَانَكُمْ ...

That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn.

But keep to your oaths.

... كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٨٩﴾

Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs, that ye may be grateful.

Other versions:

5: 89 [ al-Maidah, Medina 112 ]

Asad God will not take you to task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought [note 101], but He will take you to task for oaths which you have sworn in earnest. Thus, the breaking of an oath must be atoned for by [note 102] feeding ten needy persons with more or less the same food as you are wont to give to your own families, or by clothing them, or by freeing a human being from bondage; and he who has not the wherewithal shall fast for three days [instead]. This shall be the atonement for your oaths whenever you have sworn [and broken them]. But be mindful of your oaths !.... Thus God makes clear unto you His Messages, so that you might have cause to be grateful.

....

Yusuf Ali 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 then 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 ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs that ye may be grateful.

Pickthall Allah will not take you to task for that which is unintentional in your oaths, but He will take you to task for the oaths which ye swear in earnest. The expiation thereof is the feeding of ten of the needy with the average of that wherewith ye feed your own folk, or the clothing of them, or the liberation of a slave, and for him who findeth not (the wherewithal to do so) then a three day fast. This is the expiation of your oaths when ye have sworn; and keep your oaths. Thus Allah expoundeth unto you His revelations in order that ye may give thanks.

Transliteration La_ yu'a_khizukumulla_hu bil lagwi fi aima_nikum wa la_kiy yu'a_khizukum bima_'aqqattumul aima_n(a), fa kaffa_ratuhu_ it'a_mu 'asyarati masa_kina min ausati ma_ tut'imu_na ahlikum au kiswatuhum au tahriru raqabah(tin), famal lam yajid fa siya_mu sala_sati ayya_m(in), za_likakaffa_ratu aima_nikum iza_ halaftum, wahfazu_ aima_nakum, kaza_lika yubayyinulla_hu lakum a_ya_tihi la'allakum tasykuru_n(a).

[[ Ali’s note - 792 Vows of penance or abstention may sometimes be futile, or even stand in the way of really good or virtuous act. See ii. 224-226, and notes. The general principles established are: (1) take no futile oaths; (2) use not Allah's name, literally or in intention, to fetter yourself against doing a lawful or good act: (3) keep to your solemn oaths to the utmost of your ability; (4) where you are unable to do so, expiate your failure by feeding or clothing the poor, or obtaining some one's freedom, or if you have not the means, by fasting. This is from a spiritual aspect. (5.89)

[[ Asad’s notes – 101 Lit., “for the thoughtless word (‘laghw’) in your oaths”. This refers primarily to oaths aiming at denying to oneself something which the Law of Islam does not prohibit (i.e., “the good things of life”); and, generally, to all oaths uttered without premeditation, e,g., under the influence of anger (cf. 2:224-225; also 38:44 and the corresponding note 41).

Note 102 – Lit., “its atonement shall be” – the pronoun referring to the (implied) sin of breaking an oath. It is obvious from the context that this possibility of atonement relates only to “oath uttered without thought”, and not to deliberate undertakings affecting other persons, which – as has been explicitly stated in the opening sentence of this surah – a believer is bound to observe faithfully to the best of his ability. Regarding exceptions frm this general rule, see surah 2, note 212.]]