What is the ruling regarding someone who made a covenant with Allah to perform acts of obedience not restricted by time, then sometimes forgot their covenant or their resolve weakened? Is expiation required for such unintentional forgetfulness or shortcoming? And is it considered that they have thereby entirely broken the covenant and fallen under the meaning of Allah's saying: {those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it}?

The covenants that a person undertakes as an act of devotion to Allah Almighty are a vow (nadhr (definition)) and an oath (yameen). What is not an act of devotion is an oath only. These covenants must be upheld, and in case of default or inability to fulfill them, an expiation for an oath (kaffarat yameen) becomes obligatory. This covenant is dissolved upon the first breach, and a single expiation is required. Breaching this type of covenant necessitates fulfilling it, and the one who breaks it without an excuse incurs sin. However, it does not fall under the ruling of the noble verse: "Those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it," because this verse describes disbelievers.