The Intention for an Oath

Al-Kāfi|Volume 7|Book 7|Chapter 10

Al-Kāfi

Volume 7, Book 7, Chapter 10

The Intention for an Oath
3 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 1

1- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ وَسُئِلَ عَمَّا يَجُوزُ وَعَمَّا لا يَجُوزُ مِنَ النِّيَّةِ عَلَى الإضْمَارِ فِي الْيَمِينِ فَقَالَ قَدْ يَجُوزُ فِي مَوْضِعٍ وَلا يَجُوزُ فِي آخَرَ فَأَمَّا مَإ؛ششّّيغ يَجُوزُ فَإِذَا كَانَ مَظْلُوماً فَمَا حَلَفَ بِهِ وَنَوَى الْيَمِينَ فَعَلَى نِيَّتِهِ وَأَمَّا إِذَا كَانَ ظَالِماً فَالْيَمِينُ عَلَى نِيَّةِ الْمَظْلُومِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah who has narrated the following: “I once heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), when he (the Imam) was asked about what is lawful and what is not lawful about intention and what is in one’s mind, saying, ‘In certain times it is lawful and in certain times it is not lawful. The lawful case is when one is oppressed in which case his oath is based on his intention. If one coerces then it is on the basis of the intention of the oppressed.’”

Ḥadīth 2

2- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ حَلَفَ وَضَمِيرُهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا حَلَفَ قَالَ الْيَمِينُ عَلَى الضَّمِيرِ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ’Isma‘il ibn Sa‘d al-Ash‘ariy who has narrated the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a man who swears but his mind is on something other than what he has taken oath for. He (the Imam) said, ‘The oath is for that which is in one’s mind.’”

Ḥadīth 3

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَحْلِفُ وَضَمِيرُهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا حَلَفَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ الْيَمِينُ عَلَى الضَّمِيرِ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Safwan ibn Yahya who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who swears but his mind is on something other than that for which he has taken the oath. He (the Imam) said, ‘Swearing is for that which is in one’s mind.’”