These two verses form a crucial ruling on the ethics of oaths, correcting a prevalent pre-Islamic superstition and establishing the primacy of righteous action over empty verbal prohibitions.

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Arabic Text (Verses 2:224-225)

وَلَا تَجْعَلُوا اللَّهَ عُرْضَةً لِّأَيْمَانِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوا وَتَتَّقُوا وَتُصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الْأَيْمَانَ ۖ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

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Translation (English – Approximate Meaning)

224. And do not make Allah an excuse in your oaths (swearing by Him) to prevent you from being righteous, fearing Allah, and making peace among people. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
225. Allah will not hold you accountable for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will hold you accountable for the oaths you have taken seriously. The expiation for breaking such an oath is to feed ten needy people from the average of what you feed your own families, or to clothe them, or to free a slave. But whoever cannot afford must fast for three days. This is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn (and broken them). But guard your oaths. Thus Allah makes clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.

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Explanation & Commentary (Based on Tafheem-ul-Qan)

Verse 224: Correcting a Perverse Misuse of Oaths

· The Pre-Islamic Practice (Jahiliyyah): As Maududi explains, a common custom among the pre-Islamic Arabs was to swear oaths by Allah to refrain from doing good deeds or to cut off family ties. For example, a man might swear, “By Allah, I will not speak to my brother,” or “By Allah, I will not help so-and-so,” or “By Allah, I will not reconcile between these two.” They considered such oaths sacred and binding, leading them to persist in harmful, unjust, or socially disruptive behavior to avoid breaking their vow.
· The Islamic Correction:
· “And do not make Allah an excuse in your oaths…” The verse condemns this practice. Using Allah’s name to swear against righteousness is a gross misuse of His sanctity.
· It lists three fundamental goods that must never be hindered by an oath:
1. “أن تبروا” (An Tabarroo): To be righteous and dutiful (especially to family).
2. “وتتقوا” (Wa Tattaqoo): To be conscious of Allah and avoid sin.
3. “وتصلحوا بين الناس” (Wa Tuslihoo baynan-naas): To make peace and reconciliation between people.
· The core principle is: An oath that prevents a greater good or enjoins a greater evil is invalid and must be broken. The obligation to do good and maintain social harmony takes precedence over a wrongly sworn oath.
· “And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” This is a warning. Allah hears the frivolous oath and knows the corrupt intention behind it. One cannot hide behind such oaths.

Verse 225: The Law of Binding Oaths and Their Expiation

This verse provides the legal and practical framework for handling serious oaths.

· Distinguishing Two Types of Oaths:
· “اللَّغْو فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ” (Al-Laghw fi Aymanikum) – “Unintentional (or frivolous) speech in your oaths.” These are oaths sworn habitually, thoughtlessly, or in exaggeration without a serious intent to bind oneself. For example, common expressions like “No, by Allah!” or “Yes, by Allah!” in casual conversation. Allah does not hold one accountable for these. They carry no sin and require no expiation.
· “مَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الْأَيْمَانَ” (Ma ‘Aqqadtumul Aymana) – “What you have made binding in your oaths.” These are deliberate, solemn oaths taken with full intention to affirm a statement or bind oneself to a future action (e.g., “I swear by Allah I will do this” or “I swear by Allah this is true”). These are binding and accountable.
· The Expiation (Kaffarah) for Breaking a Binding Oath:
If one breaks a solemn oath (either by not doing what one swore to do, or by doing what one swore not to do), an expiation is required. The options, in order of preference, are:

1. Feeding ten needy people with the average quality of food one serves one’s own family.
2. Providing them with clothing.
3. Freeing a believing slave.
   · If one cannot afford any of the above, the alternative is to fast for three consecutive days.
   · The Overarching Command: “وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ” – “But guard your oaths.”
   · This is the ultimate wisdom. The best course is to be cautious and deliberate in swearing oaths. Do not swear lightly. If you must swear, take it seriously and fulfill it. This prevents the need for expiation and cultivates a character of truthfulness and reliability.
   · “Thus Allah makes clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.”
   · The ruling is presented as a mercy and a clarification from Allah. It removes the burden of frivolous oaths and provides a clear, manageable path to atonement for broken serious oaths, freeing believers from the superstitions and hardships of the pre-Islamic era.

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Key Themes from Tafheem-ul-Qan in these Verses:

1. The Primacy of Substantive Good over Ritualistic Form: Islam prioritizes acts of righteousness, piety, and social harmony over the blind adherence to verbal formulas, even if they involve Allah’s name.
2. Psychological and Legal Realism: The law recognizes human speech patterns (distinguishing casual from serious oaths) and provides a proportional, feasible means of atonement.
3. The Sanctity of Intentional Commitment: A deliberate oath is a serious covenant that must be honored, reflecting the Islamic value of keeping one’s word.
4. The Spirit of the Law is Prevention: The ultimate goal is to cultivate mindfulness (Taqwa) in speech, encouraging people to “guard their oaths” and avoid the need for expiation altogether.

These verses, therefore, reform a key aspect of Arab social conduct, replacing a superstitious and often harmful practice with a rational, ethical, and merciful legal system centered on real piety and social welfare.