Expiation of Oaths:-
Not only does the Quran promise its followers rewards on earth and in heaven, not only does it allow the most incredible latitudes and laxity in following its 'precepts', it even allows them to expiate 'ill considered oaths' through compensatory good deeds such as feeding or clothing the poor, freeing a slave, fasting or giving alms.
5: 89 Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation feed then 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 ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs that ye may be grateful
*** Allah's concern for his followers is so immense that he even allows them to break oaths and promises that they made in haste.
His followers are rarely responsible for their actions since their lives have already been pre-destined by Him. The Merciful and Compassionate Allah
pre-ordains many of His creation to a vile and tortuous death for no fault of their own ***
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 6.138 Narrated byAisha
That her father (Abu Bakr) never broke his oath till Allah revealed the order of the legal expiation for oath.
Bakr said, "If I ever take an oath (to do something) and later find that to do something else is better, then I accept Allah's permission and do that which is better, (and do the legal expiation for my oath ). "
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 8.618 Narrated byAisha
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq had never broken his oaths till Allah revealed the expiation for the oaths. Then he said, "If I take an oath to do something and later on I find something else better than the first one, then I do what is better and make expiation for my oath."
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 8.622 Narrated byAbu Huraira
Allah's Apostle said, "Anyone who takes an oath through which his family may be harmed, and insists on keeping it, he surely commits a sin greater (than that of dissolving his oath). He should rather compensate for that oath by making expiation."
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 8.709 Narrated byAbu Musa Al Ashari
I went to Allah's Apostle along with a group of people from (the tribe of) Al-Ash'ari, asking for mounts. The Prophet said, "By Allah, I will not give you anything to ride, and I have nothing to mount you on." We stayed there as long as Allah wished, and after that, some camels were brought to the Prophet and he ordered that we be given three camels. When we set out, some of us said to others, "Allah will not bless us, as we all went to Allah's Apostle asking him for mounts, and although he had sworn that he would not give us mounts, he did give us." So we returned to the Prophet; and mentioned that to him. He said, "I have not provided you with mounts, but Allah has. By Allah, Allah willing, if I ever take an oath, and then see that another is better than the first, I make expiation for my (dissolved) oath, and do what is better and make expiation."
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 9.261 Narrated byAbdur Rahman bin Samura
Allah's Apostle said, "O 'Abdur-Rahman bin Samura! Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand, you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking for it, then you will be helped (by Allah) in it. If you ever take an oath to do something and later on you find that something else is better, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath."
*** Since determining what is 'better' is a very SUBJECTIVE evaluation, then one can break any agreement with anyone else at any time he/she chooses to do so just based on one's perception of what is 'better' ***
