Question
Respected Shaykh,
This is a three-part question related to vows/oaths.
There is a brother who used to be Muslim, but later committed kufr (he started believing in human evolution, i.e. human beings evolved from other hominid species), but thankfully later returned to Islam.
Q1) The oaths that he took (in the state of Islam), and later broke (also in the state of Islam), prior to committing kufr. Do these fall off (i.e. he does not have to pay kaffarah for them) because he committed kufr, and kufr wipes away all of one’s past deeds (good and bad)?
Q2) The oaths that he took (in the state of kufr) and later broke (also in the state of kufr). Do these also fall off (i.e. he does not have to pay kaffarah for them) because he broke those oaths in a state of kufr?
Q3) The oaths that he took (in the state of kufr), but later broke (after returning to Islam). Do these also fall off (i.e. he does not have to pay kaffarah for them) because he took those oaths in a state of kufr?
The brother is a follower of the Hanafi madhab, and has heard conflicting opinions on the subject, and so is seeking advice on the matter.
Wassalamu Alaykum,
Answer:
بسم لله الرحمن الرحيم
Apostasy in Islam is a term referred to a Muslim who clearly denounced Islam, either by his words, actions or beliefs. Apostasy destroys all the good deeds of a person performed prior to apostasy (i.e. as a Muslim). An apostate is Kafir, in fact such a person is from the worst types of Kuffar (disbelievers). Kufr (disbelief) is the gravest and worst of sins, it is the greatest atrocity a human-being can ever commit. Disbelief is the most detested action in the sight of Allah ﷻ, it is an act which is unpardonable in the sight of Allahﷻ so much so that, if a person dies in such a state he is destined to the fire of Jahanam for eternity.
If such a person dies, it will not be permissible to perform Janazah Salah upon him nor will it be permissible for him/her to be buried in a Muslim cemetery. If however, such a person repents and re-enters into Islam, Allah ﷻ the Most Forgiving the Most Merciful will forgive all his sins except that the rewards for his deeds performed prior to apostasy will not be returned. May Allah ﷻ protect our Imaan.
Regarding your questions;
(1) Kaffarah will be obligatory upon him. This is because apostasy does not eradicate sins, religious obligations and commitments. So much so that if a person had missed-Salah, Fast etc. in his account it will still be obligatory upon him to perform Qadha for each one of them. Similarly, Kaffarah will be obligatory upon him for the oath/oaths he had broken prior to apostasy (i.e. while in the state of Islam).[1]
(2) Kaffarah will not be obligatory.
(3) Kaffarah will not be obligatory.
In questions two and three, the reason why Kaffarah will not be obligatory it because the Hanafi Jurists have regarded Islam (i.e. being a Muslim) as a contingent for the contraction of an oath. Oaths and vows are acts of Qurbah (i.e. seeking closeness to Allah ﷻ) all of which necessitate Islam (Imaan) from the very onset.[2]
NB: One Kaffarah will suffice for all the vows broken when in the state of Islam.
The Kaffarah for breaking an oath is mentioned in the Holy Quran, Allah ﷻ says;
So its expiation (Kaffarah) is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find (or afford it), then a fast of three days (is required). That is the expiation (Kaffarah) for oaths when you have sworn. [Surah Maidah Verse: 89]
A person can do Kaffarah by performing any of the following;
(i) Feed ten poor people morning and evening to their fill.
(ii) Provide ten poor people with clothing.
If one is unable to do any of the two mentioned above, then he must fast three consecutive days.
NB: Kaffarah is only obligatory when an oath was taken conjoined with the name of Allah.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Kaleem Muhammad
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
[1] البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (5/ 137)
ومنها بقاء المعصية مع الردة ولذا قال في الخانية إذا كان على المرتد قضاء صلوات أو صيامات تركها في الإسلام ثم أسلم قال شمس الأئمة الحلواني عليه قضاء ما ترك في الإسلام لأن ترك الصلاة والصيام معصية والمعصية تبقى بعد الردة اه
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (5/ 137)
وعن أبي حنيفة لو وجب عليه صوم شهرين متتابعين ثم ارتد ثم تاب سقط عنه القضاء كما في التتمة وذكر التمرتاشي أنه يسقط عند العامة ما وقع حال الردة وقبلها من المعاصي ولا يسقط عند كثير من المحققين اهـ.
وتمامه فيه وأقول: الذي يظهر لي ويتعين المصير إليه أن ما وقع من المعاصي قبل الردة لا يسقط بالردة أصلا وإنما يسقط بعد إسلامه كما يسقط ما وقع منه حال الردة لأن «الإسلام يجب ما قبله» كما في الحديث ووجهه أنه بإسلامه وتبريه عما كان عليه يصير تائبا عما صدر منه قبل الإسلام المذكور فقد ظهر بهذا أن المرتد في حال ردته تحبط طاعاته وهل تعود على الخلاف وأنه في حال ردته لا تسقط معاصيه إذ لا وجه لسقوطها بل قد ازداد فوقها أعظم الآثام وإنما تسقط معاصيه الماضية بإسلامه أو لا فيه الخلاف المذكور بناء على أن نفس الإسلام يكون توبة من المعاصي أيضا أو لا والذي يظهر من حديث «الإسلام يجب ما قبله» ما ذهب إليه العامة من سقوط المعاصي أي بالإسلام لا بالردة كما علمت تحقيقه والله أعلم ثم لا يخفى أن هذا كله في غير الذي يطالب بأدائه بعد الإسلام كحقوق العباد وقضاء ما تركه من صلاة وصيام
[2] بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (3/ 11)
فلا يصح يمين الكافر وهذا عندنا وعند الشافعي ليس بشرط حتى لو حلف الكافر على يمين ثم أسلم فحنث فلا كفارة عليه عندنا
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 704)
مطلب في يمين الكافر
والحاصل أنه شرط لليمين الموجبة لعبادة من كفارة أو نحو صلاة وصوم في يمين التعليق، وسيذكر المصنف أنه لا كفارة بيمين كافر وإن حنث مسلما وأن الكفر يبطلها، فلو حلف مسلما ثم ارتد ثم أسلم ثم حنث فلا كفارة اهـ وحينئذ فالإسلام شرط انعقادها وشرط بقائها