Is it permissible to delay the performance of the oath expiation (kaffarat al-yamin) – the fasting – or must it be immediate, for one who broke his oath to maintain prayer?

Whoever is obligated to pay expiation for an oath has the choice of feeding ten needy persons, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he cannot afford any of these, he must fast for three days, based on the Almighty's saying: "Its expiation is the feeding of ten needy persons from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or freeing a slave. But whoever finds not [the means to do so] - then a fast of three days." Scholars have differed as to whether the expiation must be performed immediately or can be delayed, but the more apparent view is that it must be performed immediately, and hastening to perform it is more cautious and more absolving of responsibility.