Crossing The Fingers While Taking An Oath
Question
A person takes a Qasam that he did not do a certain action, he even holds the Quraan and says he did not do a certain action, but while holding the Quraan he crosses his fingers, and later says he cancelled the Qasam he took by crossing his fingers. Is such an action valid and permissible in Islam? Please explain.
Answer
Crossing the fingers with the belief that it cancels an oath is totally baseless and holds absolutely no weight in Shariah. If a person took an oath that he did not carry out a particular action whereas in reality he did carry it out, then he is guilty of taking the name of Allah Ta’aala and speaking a lie. This is such an intense crime that the Fuqaha haven’t even prescribed any form of Kaffarah for it; it is not possible that a Muslim shows such disregard for the name of Allah Ta’aala. He has to sincerely repent before Allah Ta’aala and never return to such an act ever again.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
فاليمين الغموس هي: الحلف على أمر ماض، يتعمد الكذب فيه؛ فهذه اليمين يأثم بها صاحبها، ولا كفارة فيها إلا الاستغفار
(اللباب فى شرح الكتاب ص ١٠٣ ج ٣)
- Approved by
- Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
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