An oath of falsehood, known in Arabic as al-yamin al-ghamus, refers to deliberately swearing by Allah concerning something that the person knows to be false.
It is considered a serious sin because it combines deliberate lying with invoking the name of Allah. For this reason, Islamic teachings strongly warn against it and emphasize sincere repentance.
Why Is It Called an Oath of Falsehood?
The Arabic term refers to an oath that “immerses” its speaker in sin because of its serious nature.
It is different from an accidental statement, an oath made without deliberate intent, or an oath concerning something a person genuinely believed to be true but later discovered was incorrect.
The defining feature is knowing that the statement is false while deliberately swearing to it.
What Is the Ruling on a False Oath?
Deliberately making a false oath by Allah is religiously prohibited and is regarded as a major sin.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned against lying, teaching that truthfulness leads to righteousness, while lying leads toward wrongdoing and ultimately the Fire.
For this reason, Muslims are encouraged to protect their speech from falsehood and never use Allah's name to reinforce something they know to be untrue.
What Is the Expiation for an Oath of Falsehood?
Islamic scholars have discussed the ruling and expiation associated with this type of oath. Sincere repentance, seeking forgiveness, regretting the sin, and abandoning it are central to repentance from an oath of falsehood.
Some scholars also hold that the standard expiation for an oath should be performed as a precaution and to avoid the difference of scholarly opinion. The expiation for an oath consists of feeding ten needy people or clothing them; if a person is unable to do so, fasting for three days.
If the false oath resulted in another person's rights being violated, those rights must also be restored.
How Do I Repent From a False Oath?
Repentance requires sincerely returning to Allah and includes several important elements.
Regretting the Sin
The person should genuinely regret making the false oath and any consequences resulting from it.
Abandoning Falsehood
The person should stop the wrongdoing and refrain from deliberately lying or using oaths to support false claims.
Resolving Not to Return
Sincere repentance includes a firm intention not to repeat the wrongdoing.
Restoring Other People's Rights
If the oath caused another person to lose money, property, or another legitimate right, the person should take the necessary steps to restore that right.
Seeking Forgiveness
A person should increase their seeking of Allah's forgiveness and sincerely turn back to Him.
Does Charity Expiate a False Oath?
Charity is among the righteous deeds that may be a means of having sins forgiven. A prophetic teaching also describes charity as extinguishing sin as water extinguishes fire.
However, charity does not replace sincere repentance. If another person's rights were harmed because of the false oath, those rights must also be addressed and restored.
Difference Between a False Oath and a Binding Oath
An oath of falsehood involves deliberately swearing to something known to be untrue.
A binding oath, on the other hand, generally concerns a person's deliberate commitment to do something or refrain from doing something in the future, followed by breaking that oath. It has a prescribed expiation.
Therefore, different types of oaths should not automatically be treated as the same, because their rulings depend on the nature and intention of the oath.
What Should I Do After Making a False Oath?
A person who has made a false oath should immediately turn to Allah in repentance, regret the wrongdoing, seek forgiveness, and resolve not to repeat it.
If the oath caused someone to lose a right or suffer injustice, repentance also requires addressing the consequences and restoring the right as far as possible.
What is an oath of falsehood?
It is deliberately swearing by Allah concerning something the person knows to be false.
Is an oath of falsehood a major sin?
Yes. It is considered a serious sin, and a person who commits it should sincerely repent and seek forgiveness.
What is the expiation for an oath of falsehood?
There is a scholarly difference concerning the expiation. Sincere repentance and abandoning the sin are essential, while some scholars also require the standard oath expiation: feeding or clothing ten needy people, or fasting three days if unable to do so.
Does charity expiate a false oath?
Charity is a righteous deed through which sins may be forgiven, but it does not replace sincere repentance or the restoration of another person's rights.
How do I repent from a false oath?
Repent by regretting the sin, abandoning it, resolving not to return to it, seeking Allah's forgiveness, and restoring other people's rights when applicable.
