Breaking a promise and the expiation for an oath

Question

Question: Two men were running a business together. Both had verbally affirmed (iqrar) that “we two shall always run the business together.” But after some time a rift arose between them, and one of them broke his affirmation. Tell us, what will be the expiation for this?

Answer

If he did not swear an oath but merely promised, and broke the promise without reason, then he has sinned by this; if some reason arose, then he has not sinned by breaking the promise — so it is in “Sharh al-Ashbah wa-l-Naza’ir”.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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