Q: Years ago, I broke an oath (I vowed to give up a sin then later committed it again) and then came to find out expiation is due upon me. When I found out expiation was due, I looked at the options I had. First, feeding 10 poor people. At the time I intended to offer expiation, I had a debt to pay off, so I could not afford to pay to feed ten poor people. My next option, clothing 10 poor people, is where I fell into doubt. I own more than 10 abayas -roughly 15 – and most of them are brand new and very sentimental to me as they were recently gifted to me by my parents. I also own roughly 11 scarves, and my mother owns many more and I know if I were to ask her for more she’d happily give me some of her’s. I have relatives in Pakistan who I know could distribute my clothes. However, I didn’t consider this option because most of the clothes I own, I wouldn’t really consider them my own since my parents gifted them to me using their money. If they were to look in my closet and see them gone, they’d be flabbergasted as they recently spent a good deal of money buying me these new clothes. Also, if I were to use 10 of them for expiation, nearly 2/3s of the clothes I wear on a week to week basis would be gone. As such, I went on to fast 3 days of oath expiation. Was what I did correct?
A: Yes.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)