Kaffarah (expiation) for Swearing

فِي‌ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ يُطْعِمُ عَشَرَةَ مَسَاكِينَ لِكُلِّ مِسْكِينٍ مُدٌّ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ مُدٌّ مِنْ دَقِيقٍ وَ حَفْنَةٌ[1] أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ‌ لِكُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ ثَوْبَانِ أَوْ عِتْقُ رَقَبَةٍ وَ هُوَ فِي ذَلِكَ بِالْخِيَارِ أَيَّ الثَّلَاثَةِ صَنَعَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى وَاحِدَةٍ مِنَ الثَّلَاثَةِ فَالصِّيَامُ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ.

“About the case of Kaffarah (expiation) because of oath abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It (expiation) is to feed ten destitute people each with one mud (a certain measurement) or a handful of wheat or flour, or clothe them with two pieces of clothes to each person, or free a slave. He has the choice for any one of t

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ‌[2] مَا حَدُّ مَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ وَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يَسْأَلُ فِي كَفِّهِ وَ هُوَ يَجِدُ فَقَالَ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ فَضْلٌ عَنْ قُوتِ عِيَالِهِ فَهُوَ مِمَّنْ لَا يَجِدُ.

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about the expiation for oath mentioned in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . if one cannot find then it is three days fasting.’ (5:91) and about the limit of ‘if one cannot find’ and that a man asks for help (beggar) but he is not of ‘if one cannot find’. He (the

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ فَقَالَ عِتْقُ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ كِسْوَةٌ وَ الْكِسْوَةُ ثَوْبَانِ أَوْ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ أَيَّ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَ أَجْزَأَ عَنْهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ‌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٍ وَ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مُدّاً مُدّاً.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the expiation because of oath. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is to set free a slave or clothing with two clothes or feeding ten destitute persons. Whichever of the three he chooses is sufficient, and if he cannot find any of them, then it is three consecutive days of fasting and in

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ ص- يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ ما أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ‌ قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمانِكُمْ‌[3] فَجَعَلَهَا يَمِيناً وَ كَفَّرَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قُلْتُ بِمَا كَفَّرَ قَالَ أَطْعَمَ عَشَرَةَ مَسَاكِينَ لِكُلِّ مِسْكِينٍ مُدٌّ قُلْنَا فَمَا حَدُّ الْكِسْوَةِ قَالَ ثَوْبٌ يُوَارِي بِهِ عَوْرَتَهُ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said to His Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, ‘O Prophet, why do you make unlawful what Allah has made lawful for you.’ ‘Allah has shown you how to absolve yourselves of

فِي كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ عِتْقُ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ‌ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ ما تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ‌ وَ الْوَسَطُ الْخَلُّ وَ الزَّيْتُ وَ أَرْفَعُهُ الْخُبْزُ وَ اللَّحْمُ وَ الصَّدَقَةُ مُدٌّ مُدٌّ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ لِكُلِّ مِسْكِينٍ وَ الْكِسْوَةُ ثَوْبَانِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَعَلَيْهِ الصِّيَامُ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ‌[4].

About the case of expiation due to an oath which is freeing a slave, or feeding ten destitute person of the average kind of food for your family or clothing them, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The average kind of food is vinegar and oil, and a high quality is bread and meat. Charity is one mud (a certain measuremen

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع- عَمَّنْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْكِسْوَةُ فِي كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ قَالَ ثَوْبٌ يُوَارِي بِهِ عَوْرَتَهُ.

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of a man who must clothe the needy because of expiation due to oath. He (the Imam) said, ‘ It is a kind of clothing which can cover his privacy.’”

هُوَ كَمَا يَكُونُ إِنَّهُ يَكُونُ فِي الْبَيْتِ مَنْ يَأْكُلُ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْمُدِّ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَأْكُلُ أَقَلَّ مِنَ الْمُدِّ فَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَ إِنْ شِئْتَ جَعَلْتَ لَهُمْ أُدْماً وَ الْأُدْمُ أَدْنَاهُ الْمِلْحُ وَ أَوْسَطُهُ الْخَلُّ وَ الزَّيْتُ وَ أَرْفَعُهُ اللَّحْمُ.

“This is about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. ‘. . . it is of the average kind of food that you provide to your family.’ Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is just as it is at home. Certain people eat one mud (a certain measurement) and certain others less or in between. If you like

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَمَّنْ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَفِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مُدّاً مُدّاً مِنْ دَقِيقٍ أَوْ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ تَحْرِيرِ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ صِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مُتَوَالِيَاتٍ إِذَا لَمْ يَجِدْ شَيْئاً مِنْ ذَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who has said by Allah, but has not remained firm about it. He (the Imam) (a.s.), said, ‘The Kaffarah (expiation) for it is to feed ten destitute people, one mud (a certain measurement) to each one of flour or wheat, or free a slave, or fast for three consecut

فِي كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ مُدٌّ مُدٌّ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ وَ حَفْنَةٌ لِتَكُونَ الْحَفْنَةُ فِي طَحْنِهِ وَ حَطَبِهِ.

“About the Kaffarah (expiation) due to an oath which is one mud (a certain measurement) for each person abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that it must be a handful of food made into flour and cooked.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ إِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فِي الْكَفَّارَةِ إِلَّا الرَّجُلَ وَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ فَلْيُكَرِّرْ عَلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى يَسْتَكْمِلَ الْعَشَرَةَ يُعْطِيهِمُ الْيَوْمَ ثُمَّ يُعْطِيهِمْ غَداً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), has said, ‘If one cannot find ten destitute people at one time he can feed fewer people several times like this and in next day until it is equal to feeding ten destitute people.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنْ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ فَقَالَ يَصُومُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ ضَعُفَ عَنِ الصَّوْمِ وَ عَجَزَ قَالَ يَتَصَدَّقُ عَلَى عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ عَجَزَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ وَ لَا يَعُدْ فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ الْكَفَّارَةِ وَ أَقْصَاهُ وَ أَدْنَاهُ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرْ رَبَّهُ وَ يُظْهِرُ تَوْبَةً وَ نَدَامَةً.

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the Kaffarah (expiation) due to oath. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is fasting for three days.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if one feels weak and cannot do it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He can give charity to ten destitute people.’ I asked, ‘What happens if he cannot do it?’ He (the Imam) s

لَا يُجْزِئُ إِطْعَامُ الصَّغِيرِ فِي كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ وَ لَكِنْ صَغِيرَيْنِ بِكَبِيرٍ.

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said in paying expiation for an oath, feeding small people is not sufficient, however, two small ones are equal to one grown-up person.”’

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَا يُطْعِمُ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَصُومَ يُطْعِمُ عَشَرَةَ مَسَاكِينَ مُدّاً مُدّاً فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ‌.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘If one is able to feed ten destitute people for expiation of an oath he cannot fast instead. He must feed ten destitute people, one mud (a certain measurement) to each one, and if one cannot do this, then he must fast for three days.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ‌ أَوْسَطِ ما تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ‌ فَقَالَ مَا تَقُوتُونَ بِهِ عِيَالَكُمْ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا أَوْسَطُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ الْخَلُّ وَ الزَّيْتُ وَ التَّمْرُ وَ الْخُبْزُ تُشْبِعُهُمْ بِهِ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً قُلْتُ‌ كِسْوَتُهُمْ‌ قَالَ ثَوْبٌ وَاحِدٌ.

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about, ‘. . . the average kind of food that you provide for your family.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the kind of food which you feed your family, it must be of the middle of the two, high and low, quality that you provide for your family.’ I then asked, ‘What is the middle of such food?