Surah 5. Al-Maida, Ayah 89
| لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الْأَيْمَانَ ۖ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ |
| Transliteration | : | wa- 'alladhena kafaro wa- kadhdhabo bi- 'aayaat -naa 'olaa'ika as.h.aab al- jah.em |
| 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. |
| Asad | : | GOD will not take you to task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought,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 by102 feeding ten needy persons with more or less the same food as you are wont to give to your own families,103 or by clothing them, or by freeing a human being from bondage; and he who has not the where-withal 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!104 Thus God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might have cause to be grateful. |
| Malik | : | Allah will not call you to account for what is inadvertent in your oaths. But He will hold you accountable for that which you solemnly swear. The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten indigent persons with such food as you normally provide to your own family, or to clothe ten needy people, or to free one slave. The one who cannot afford any of these must fast three days. This is the expiation for breaking your oaths. Therefore, be mindful of your oaths. Thus Allah makes clear to you His revelations that you may be thankful. |
| 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. 792 |
Note - 101Lit., "for a 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]).
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Note - 102Lit., "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 "oaths 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 from this
general rule, see surah {2}, note [212].
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Note - 103Lit., "the average of what you feed your families with".
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Note - 104I.e., "do not make them lightly or often" (Razi).
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Note - 792Vows 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.
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Lit., "for a 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]). |
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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 "oaths 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 from this general rule, see surah {2}, note [212]. |
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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. |
