Am I allowed to perform my expiation for breaking a promise during Ramadan? (and how to increase Iman)
Repent before the Day when Allah will Question you
Assalamu alaikum,
I am a student, not in uni yet. I have broken promises that I made to Allah multiple times, which is something that I'm deeply ashamed of. I've searched up what to do during these situations, and the expiation is either to feed/clothe 10 people, or fast for 3 days. I am not in a position to feed/clothe 10 people right now, because of the amount of promises that I broke, but I've decided to fast. I want to get it over with as quickly as possible, so that I won't be in an impure state if anything were to happen to me. Because final exams are coming up, the soonest time I could fast without risking my academic status is during the start of summer vacation, which is also when Ramadan starts. Since fasting is already compulsory during Ramadan, would my expiation still be valid? I would also like to learn how to increase my Iman, so I wouldn't be tempted to break these promises anymore.
JazakAllah
Soranae
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AsSalaamu Alaikum,
Combining intentions of two different ibadahs, that are similar to each other, in one of them at once, is acceptable if both of them or one is a sunnah or a mean. However, there are different opinions when both ibadahs are obligatory in and of themselves, and the most acceptable ruling is to perform them separately.
In any case, it's up to you to follow the opinion that is more suitable to your life condition. Allah is Most-Merciful and Forgiving, and He knows best.
Assalaamualaikam
One option would be to add the fasts on at the end of Ramadan, so that you are completing the two obligatory commitments separately and doing the fasts as soon as possible. Make sure that you leave yourself time for Eid in between though.
If you want to increase your knowledge and connection with Islam, the summer vacation may be the perfect opportunity to get into good habits - especially with Ramadan being this month, Alhamdulillah. Many mosques or community centres will have daily study groups and Quran recitations, to go through the Quran over the course of Ramadan - if you can, try to go to one of these, as not only will you be able to learn more about the Quran, you will also be able to meet practising Muslims who can inshaAllah inspire you to keep practising yourself. If you are able to get to the mosque for prayers, try to do so, and remember that dhikr and nafl prayers are excellent ways to strengthen your iman.
It's really important for us all to work together as a community to help those of us in need. Ramadan can be a good time to get involved, so why not speak with someone at your local mosque or community centre to see what projects are on the go in your area? There are all kinds of community projects, so inshaAllah there should be at least one that interests you and that you feel able to help with - everything from providing food for homeless people, to collecting for charity, to helping with daw'ah projects... Find something that inspires you and get involved.
And remember that to keep our iman strong, we need to be building on strong foundations. So, make sure that you are practising and maintaining the core pillars of Islam - if you need to learn more about these (eg. if you want to learn more about how to pray salah), it might help to see if your local mosque does "new to Islam" or "refresher" classes - these can be really useful for many of us, as it can be easy for us to get into bad habits, and it's important for us to keep reminding ourselves of the correct way to practise in accordance with Islamic teachings.
Midnightmoon
IslamicAnswers.com editor
Asalamo Alaikum,
I am 16, and very ashmed of my sins, i took a lot of false ouths.
I wanted to ask, taking a false outh of Allah (Allah ke kasam) during fasting in Ramadan.. Does is breaks your fast? And taking false ouths of Allah again and again.. What would be the punishment ? And how to ask for forgiveness from Allah?
Please reply as soon as possible
Thankyou
Nimra, as far as I know a false oath does not break your fast, but it is a serious sin and you must stop doing it. See this article:
Making a False Oath
One of the purposes of Ramadan is to purify us from sins and modify our behavior for the better. You are not benefiting from your fast if you continue to commit serious sins during Ramadan. That's not to say that you should give up fasting. Rather, you should amend your behavior and stop making oaths.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor