Kinds of Swearing

Swearing is of three kinds. There is one kind of swearing, which does not require expiation, the kind that requires expiation, and the false swearing which causes the fire. The kind, which does not require expiation, is the swearing in which one has sworn by Allah for a good cause not to do it and its expiation is doing such thing. The kind of oath, which requires expiation, is that which a man takes for not to do a sinful deed but he does it, then expiation becomes obligatory. Al-Ghumus oath is that which causes the fire and is that in which a man swears against the right of a Muslim man to withhold his assets.”’ Ali ibn Ibrahim has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that swearing is of three kinds. There is the kind of swearing because of which fire becomes obligatory, the oath, which makes expiation obligatory, and the kind, which does not make the fire or expiation obligatory. The kind of swearing which makes the fire obligatory is the swearing of a man who swears and denies the assets of another. In this way, he takes it away from him or swears against a Muslim man falsely to tangle him or seek the support of Sultan and so on against him in which he succeeds and causes the loss of his life or his assets. For this kind, fire becomes obligatory. The oath because of which expiation becomes obligatory is that which a man takes about a lawful act in the sight of Allah to do it or swears to do something, which is not lawful not to do it, then he repents, in such case expiation becomes obligatory. The kind of oath, which does not require expiation, is that which one takes to cut off good relations with relatives or the Sultan forces him or against his wishes his father or his wife urges him. He swears for an act which is in disobedience to Allah, he swears to do so although he commits a sin, but there is not any expiation on him.’”