QUESTION:
What happens if a husband swears on the Holy Qur’an that he will not have sexual intercourse with his wife?
ANSWER:
According to the majority of scholars an oath of the Holy Qur’an is a valid oath. Fatawa Alamgiri (v.2 p.60) states:
لو حلف بالقراٰن يکون يمينا و به أخذ جمهور مشائخنا رحمهم اللّٰه کذا في المضمرات
If he has sexual intercourse with his wife he will have broken his oath and must therefore compensate (kaffarah) by freeing a slave, or feeding 10 poor people (miskeens) two average meals (morning and evening) for one day till they are full, or by clothing them, if he cannot do any of these three then he should fast for 3 consecutive days.
Allah the Almighty says:
فکفارته اطعام عشرة مساکين من أوسط ما تطعمون أهليکم أو کسوتهم أو تحرير رقبة فمن لم يجد فصيام ثلثة أيام
“…so the redemption of such oaths is to provide food to ten needy persons equal to the average of what you feed your family, or to clothe them, or to free one slave; and for one who has no means, is the fasting for three days; this is the redemption of your oaths when you have sworn…”
[Surah al-Maidah, verse 89]
Fatawa Alamgiri (v.2 p.68) says:
فإن لم يقدر علي أحد هذه الأشياء الثلثة صام ثلثة أيام متتابعات کذا في السراج الوهاج
Allah تعالى is most knowing.
Answered by Mufti Shams ul Huda Misbahi
Translated by Mawlana Muhammad Rashid Madani
