Question:

Respected mufti saheb out of anger a person says to her brother:

”Wallah I will never let you shower again first in the future, i’m saying WALLAAH!”

Does an oath fall? Will kaffaarah be necessary if her brother ever showers first?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The oath in the mentioned case does fall. The oath is not in regards to the brother showering first, rather “letting” other brother take shower first. If the brother lets the other take shower first, he will be considered haanith (breaker of the oath), and the kaffarah will become wajib.

Nonetheless, there is no saying when that could happen. It is better to break the oath and pay the kaffarah right now.

The Kaffarah for breaking an oath is:

1. Free a slave (not applicable in these times), or
2. Feed ten poor people an average two meals, or
3. Clothe ten poor people enough clothes to cover the majority of their bodies.[1]

Since feeding the poor is most viable option in today’s time. if you choose to feed the poor, then you may either feed ten people an average of two meals or you may also feed one person twice a day for next 10 days. [2]

If for some reason one is unable to feed the poor, nor can one clothe them then one should fast three consecutive days. [3]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hameed al-Mahmudi
www.fatwa.ca

[1]
(وكفارته) هذه إضافة للشرط لأن السبب عندنا الحنث (تحرير رقبة أو إطعام عشرة مساكين)(الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 725))

[2]

(قوله عشرة مساكين) أي تحقيقا أو تقديرا، حتى لو أعطى مسكينا واحدا في عشرة أيام كل يوم نصف صاع يجوز(الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 725))

[3]

(وإن عجز عنها) كلها (وقت الأداء)… (صام ثلاثة أيام ولاء)(الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 727))