I heard that my uncle was healed, so I was happy and vowed to fast for 20 days. After confirming the news, I reduced it to 10 days. What is the ruling on this action?

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good. You say that when I heard my uncle was healed, out of great joy I vowed to fast for twenty days if the news was true. After confirming the truth of the news, I lightened the burden on myself to ten days. At that time, I was of age, and two and a half years have passed since his recovery. I am able to fast, and praise be to Allah, I have not fasted anything of my vow for my uncle or for my parents. I ask for clarification on these two matters. May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
A person should not be eager to make vows, for the vow, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, brings no good. Also, a person involves himself in something that may be heavy for him or that he cannot do. So a person does good without a vow. But if he makes a vow, he is required to fulfill a vow of obedience. And if she made this vow while she was of age and of sound mind, and the intended condition upon which she tied the vow occurred, then it is obligatory for her to fulfill her vow, to fast twenty days as she vowed; because this is a vow of obedience. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says .

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. She says she lightened it for herself to ten days. What is the ruling on this lightening, Shaykh Salih?

The Shaykh:
It is not in her hand. If she vowed twenty days, it is obligatory for her to fast twenty days. She does not have the right to lighten it or renounce this vow or part of it. Once it is established, she is required to fulfill it.