This verse is brought forth for everything connected to the oaths which a person meaninglessly swears.

(… لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ ) (Allah will not impose blame upon you …): It means that Allah (swt) will not punish those who do this. Thus, there is no punishment for meaningless oaths.

What does the meaningless oaths in the verse mean? It is something which runs on the tongue without any intention in the heart. For example, a person says, “By Allah, I do not want to go to that place…”. This is considered an oath, but a meaningless one, as it runs on the tongue but there is no intention nor establishment in the heart.

(… وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الْأَيْمَانَ… ) (…but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths.…): The intended oaths for matter that had been fully decided on by the heart and you are certain of it. It does not mean that this person will be punished. Rather, it means that he will have to expiate his oath. This is of the mercy of Allah (swt). Thus, when a person swears intentionally and the meaning of the oath runs through the heart, and subsequently, he wants to withdraw it, on him is an expiation.

(… فَكَفَّارَتُهُ… ) (…So its expiation …): The Arabic word of (expiation) linguistically means veiling or covering. So, the punishment is covered through this expiation. This expiation is a form of restraining others from the sin, restraining the self and as a compensation for the sin. The expiation is one of three things: First one is:

(… إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ … ) (…the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them …): It is to feed ten needy people from the average of that which a person feeds his family members. Thus, he is not supposed to choose the lowest quality of food. The word average here refers to both the quantity and quality of that which the person will use to feed the needy and the food itself. The same applies for the clothing given. The second one:

(… أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ… ) (…or the freeing of a slave. …): This was the starting point for Islam’s declaration of the cancellation of slavery. Every time a person swore (and broke it), he would have to free a slave. This would gradually end the whole issue of slavery, whose prevailing rules in the communities of that time could not be cancelled instantly through a legal document. But it was gradually put away through these expiations laid out by Islam. The third one:

(… فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ… ) (…But whoever cannot find [or afford it] – then a fast of three days …): Once, one of the Caliphs in Andalusia said to the judgement that he had made an oath and asked him what the expiation was. The judge answered that he had to fast three days. One of the scholars who was present looked at the judge and signaled to him, but he did not respond to him. After they left the place, the scholar asked the judge: “Why did you tell him to fast three days, whereas the verse clearly states: “So its expiation the feeding of ten needy people”. The judge looked at him and answered, “I considered his situation, and saw that he is the Caliph of Andalusia. And since the human self needs something that can restrain it from swearing, I chose the expiation which would be heaviest on him, which is the fasting for three days. It would be heavier on him than feeding ten of the needy.

(… وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ… ) (…But guard your oaths …): This means that a person should not frequently swear oaths.

(  كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ … ) (…Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful): Among the reasons for us to be thankful to Allah (swt) is that He has made veils and expiations for our oaths; the feeding of ten of the needy, or clothing them, or the freeing of slaves or fasting for three days.