Failure to keep a solemn oath...

Failure to keep a solemn oath, made by a man or a woman, has to be expiated as indicated in the Qur’an: "He [God] will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you have sworn.

But keep your oaths." (5:89) of the (S), men and women, used to present their oath of allegiance to him personally. Women, as well as men, would independently come to him and pledge their oaths: "O Prophet!

When believing women come to you to make a covenant with you that they will not associate in worship anything with God, nor steal, nor fornicate, nor kill their own children, nor slander anyone, nor disobey you in any just matter, then make a covenant with them and pray to God for the forgiveness of their sins. Indeed God is Forgiving and most Merciful." (60:12) A man could not swear the oath on behalf of his daughter or his wife.

Nor could a man repudiate the oath made by any of his female relatives. [^1]: Swidler, op. cit. p. 141. [^2]: Gage, op. cit., p.141 Previous…