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Breaking Oath

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by ShariahBoard.org

Assalam alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

        I have a question regarding the oath. A person took an oath on Allah SWT for not watching immoral na-mahram(pictures/videos) on internet and if he does then he will give a particular amount in sadaqa every time he does it. Now after sometime that person realize that he can no longer continue with this commitment and want to come out of this commitment. In this situation, can a person do any of the following things:
 
Pay the one time kuffarah for breaking the oath and be no longer bonded with this commitment.
Reduce the sadaqa amount if he feels the sadaqa amount was high and continue with this commitment.
Replace the sadaqa amount with something like praying 2 rakat nafl salaat.(meaning offer 2 rakat salat every time he watches the na-mahram pictures/videos)
 
Jazakallahu khair.

الجواب وبالله التوفيق

As per the situation described in your question if you break the oath and pay the kaffarah for breaking oath, you will be free from the binding condition of the oath. In order to refrain from sins you should use another binding condition which you have to fulfill but without taking an oath.  

In the current situation the amount originally set as part of the oath cannot be reduced or replaced by nafl salah etc.  As long as the oath is in place one will have to fulfill the binding conditions of the oath and pay the amount they included as part of the oath.

واللہ اعلم  بالصواب

This answer was collected from Shariahboard.org. It was established under the supervision of the eminent faqih of our era, Hazrat Shah Mufti Mohammed Navalur Rahman damat barakatuhum.

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