The Inability of the One Who Made a Vow to Fulfill a Vow of Obedience and the Expiation for an Oath

Question:
We ask Your Eminence the Shaykh for permission to ask a few questions. The questioner says: Your Eminence, father, if a person makes a vow of obedience and is unable to fulfill this vow, does the expiation for an oath take the place of the vow?

Answer:
He is given a delay until he is able to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . As for if he is completely unable, Ibn 'Abbas reported that the expiation for an oath is required of him. If one makes a vow that he is capable of fulfilling, the expiation for an oath is required of him. If it is something unusual that he cannot do, such as fasting, the expiation for an oath is required of him. Or if he vows to perform Hajj but cannot do so due to old age, the expiation for an oath is required of him. As Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said, if one makes a vow that he is unable to fulfill, its expiation is the expiation for an oath. Or if he makes a vow that is disliked, such as a vow to fast forever. Fasting forever is disliked, or forbidden, so the expiation for an oath is required of him. Yes.