Question Summary:
Should one give Kaffarah (penance) of a broken oath immediately?

Question Detail:

I wanted to ask if it is necessary to give kaffarah for a broken promise immediately or can it be delayed ? Also if a person is going for Hajj and is due a kaffarh is it binding on him to give that kaffarah first ?

Answer :

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

One should give the kaffarah (penance) of a broken vow immediately.[1] If one were to delay it, he will be sinful. The kaffarah will always be binding until it is fulfilled.

If one is going to hajj and a kaffarah is due, then the kaffarah should be given before he goes to perform hajj. However, the validity of the hajj is not dependent on giving the kaffarah.

And Allah Ta‘āla Knows Best

Mehrazur Rahman

Student Darul Iftaa          

Brooklyn, NY, USA

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

[1]  (الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية، ج ١٠، ص ١٣، الطبعة الثانية، دارالسلاسل)

تَأْخِيرُ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ: ١٨ - ذَهَبَ جُمْهُورُ الْعُلَمَاءِ إِلَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يَجُوزُ تَأْخِيرُ كَفَّارَةِ الْيَمِينِ، وَأَنَّهَا تَجِبُ بِالْحِنْثِ عَلَى الْفَوْرِ؛

(رد المحتار، ج ٣، ص ٧٢٧، دار الفكر)

وفي القهستاني: واعلم أنه لو أخر كفارة اليمين أثم ولم تسقط بالموت والقتل.

(الفتاوى التاتارخانية، ج ٦، ص ٣٠٩، مكتبة زكريا، ديوبند، هند)

٩٤٥٢:- و تأخير كفارة اليمين لايسعه، و لو أخر أثم،