Is Breaking a Promise with Wife Allowed?

07 June, 2020
Q Can promises be broken based on situations? My husband promises me one thing but doesn't stay firm by it and says today the situation is different. Is it allowed? Or is it punishable to break the promise? He gets influenced by other people and blames it on circumstances. How should I accept the situation?

Answer

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

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.


In this fatwa:

1- Breaking a promise is not justified as long as one can fulfill it.

2- You need to speak with your husband. You may seek counseling and advice of the imam of your mosque or a local scholar, as it is good for the mufti to listen to you both.


Answering your question, Dr. Wael Shehab, PhD in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University and currently the Imam of the Downtown Toronto Masjid in Canada, states:

A Muslim should respect his/her commitments and fulfill his/her promises. To break one’s promise is not justified if one is able to fulfill it and the promise is permissible in itself.

Breaking one’s promise without justification is a sinful act.

Regarding your case, you need to speak with your husband. You may seek counseling and advice of the imam of your mosque or a local scholar, as it is good for the mufti to listen to you both.

All in all, try to fix your family issues through mutual understanding, love, respect, and care.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.