The Quran

Preface

لا يُؤاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغوِ في أَيمانِكُم وَلٰكِن يُؤاخِذُكُم بِما عَقَّدتُمُ الأَيمانَ ۖ فَكَفّارَتُهُ إِطعامُ عَشَرَةِ مَساكينَ مِن أَوسَطِ ما تُطعِمونَ أَهليكُم أَو كِسوَتُهُم أَو تَحريرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَم يَجِد فَصِيامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيّامٍ ۚ ذٰلِكَ كَفّارَةُ أَيمانِكُم إِذا حَلَفتُم ۚ وَاحفَظوا أَيمانَكُم ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُم آياتِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَشكُرونَ

Yusuf Ali

God will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths,¹ but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten 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 God make clear to you His signs, that ye may be grateful.

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. The general principles established are: (1) take no futile oaths; (2) use not God’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, but that would be a question of law or equity.