held responsible for it being otherwise than what you swore upon. "But He will hold you responsible for what you have formally sworn," meaning: that which you swore upon intentionally.

"So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy persons from the average of that which you feed your own families." Mujahid said: The average of what you feed your family is the most filling of it. "Or their clothing, or the freeing of a slave." So if he wishes, he may free a mature slave, and if he wishes, a young one. And everything in the Quran followed by "or" (aw) implies that one is given a choice; he may perform whichever of those he wishes. "And whoever cannot find [the means]"—meaning: whoever cannot find any of these three things: the food, the clothing, or the emancipation—"then a fast of three days." Qatadah said: And it is in the reading (qira'ah) of Ibn Mas'ud: "then a fast of three consecutive days."

Surah al-Ma'idah from verse (90) to verse (91).