The Condition of Intention in Vows and the Guardian’s Fulfillment of the Deceased’s Vow
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Is intention a condition for a vow, or is it sufficient for it to be spoken by the speaker?
The Shaykh:
All acts of worship are not established except with intention, whether it is a vow or otherwise, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih al-Bukhari 1
The questioner:
If the one who made the vow dies, is it obligatory upon his guardian to fulfill his vow?
The Shaykh:
If he dies and leaves an estate, if he dies and leaves an estate and this vow is financial, such as slaughtering a sacrificial animal or a vow of charity, and he has an estate, it is executed from the estate before inheritance; because this is a debt to Allah, and debts are paid from the estate before the bequest and before inheritance, so the vow is executed from the deceased’s estate. Due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih al-Bukhari 1852.
As for if the vow is not financial, such as fasting for Hajj or such as 'Umrah, then his guardian takes his place, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever dies and has fasting remaining, let his guardian fast on his behalf," and in a narration: "Whoever dies and has a vow of fasting remaining, let his guardian fast on his behalf," because this is a bodily act of worship, and money is not sufficient for it, meaning that fasting is not compensated by charity, so his guardian takes his place.
Is intention a condition for a vow, or is it sufficient for it to be spoken by the speaker?
The Shaykh:
All acts of worship are not established except with intention, whether it is a vow or otherwise, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوىThe questioner:
If the one who made the vow dies, is it obligatory upon his guardian to fulfill his vow?
The Shaykh:
If he dies and leaves an estate, if he dies and leaves an estate and this vow is financial, such as slaughtering a sacrificial animal or a vow of charity, and he has an estate, it is executed from the estate before inheritance; because this is a debt to Allah, and debts are paid from the estate before the bequest and before inheritance, so the vow is executed from the deceased’s estate. Due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
So, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid.
اقْضُوا اللَّهَ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ بِالْوَفَاءِAs for if the vow is not financial, such as fasting for Hajj or such as 'Umrah, then his guardian takes his place, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever dies and has fasting remaining, let his guardian fast on his behalf," and in a narration: "Whoever dies and has a vow of fasting remaining, let his guardian fast on his behalf," because this is a bodily act of worship, and money is not sufficient for it, meaning that fasting is not compensated by charity, so his guardian takes his place.
Source
الفوزان -أشرطة- أسئلة وأجوبة من دروس التوحيد - الفوزان - أسئلة التوحيد - ٠٨ — archive.org (35:40)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.