Breaking promise made to non-Mahram female

4-1-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. Is it obligatory for a male believer to say to a female believer whom he has severely hurt that he will do something (it is not marriage) for her? Is it obligatory on him even though he may not feel comfortable speaking or texting her? He acknowledged that he made a mistake, but is it obligatory on him to say something to her?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Your question is rather ambiguous. If you are asking about the ruling on the fulfillment of a promise, then you should know that Muslim scholars held different views in this regard. The majority of the scholars held that it is recommended to fulfill one's promises, not obligatory. Some scholars, on the other hand, held that the fulfillment of the promise is obligatory if breaking it incurs a considerable loss (on the promised person). Please refer to fatwa 86010.

According to the view of the majority of the scholars, you are not liable for anything for breaking your promise to this female. According to the other view, you are liable for breaking your promise if breaking it incurs a considerable loss on her. Therefore, she will have a right over you and you would be required to seek her pardon. Please refer to fatwa 86527 about the conditions of repentance.

In case you are required to seek her pardon, you do not have to talk to her or correspond with her. Rather, it is sufficient to fulfill the objective by any other means, bearing in mind that talking to a non-Mahram (marriageable) female is permissible for a need, provided that the Sharia etiquette is observed.

If this answer is not sufficient, then please clarify your question so that we can give you a more precise answer.

Allah knows best.