Expiation for the violation of Commandments of Allah

باب ما يقوله ويفعله من ارتكب منهياً عنه

This short chapter is about the small repairs the heart makes when it slips. The Arabic word kaffarah means an expiation, a deed that wipes over a wrong, and Imam an-Nawawi places it here to teach a reflex: when the tongue or the habit carries you somewhere it should not, you do not despair, you immediately make amends.

Notice how light and immediate the remedy is. A word of tawhid answers a careless oath, a quiet act of charity answers a careless invitation to sin. The lesson is not to treat slips casually but to keep the door of return always within reach.

Hadith 1807

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ “من حلف فقال في حلفه‏:‏ باللات والعزى، فليقل‏:‏ لا إله إلا الله، ومن قال لصاحبه‏:‏ تعالى أقامرك فليتصدق‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who takes an oath and involuntarily says: 'By Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza' should at once affirm: 'La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah)', and he who says to his companion: 'Come let's gamble' should make expiation by giving something in charity." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

The Prophet taught quick repairs for slips of the tongue: one who carelessly swears by something other than Allah should at once affirm there is no god but Allah, and one who invites another to gamble should give something in charity. The lesson is to make amends right away rather than despair.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1807 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 297