A woman vowed that if she were granted a child, she would perform Hajj, and Allah granted her a child. Is Hajj obligatory upon her due to the vow, given that she has not yet performed the obligatory Hajj? Which takes precedence?
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The questioner : He says this: May peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, esteemed Shaykh. A woman vowed that if she were granted a child, she would perform Hajj, and Allah granted her a child.
The Shaykh : To do what?
The questioner : If Allah granted her a child, she would perform Hajj, and Allah granted her a child. Is Hajj obligatory upon her due to the vow, given that she has not yet performed the obligatory Hajj? Which takes precedence?
The Shaykh : Given that she?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj.
The Shaykh : Has not?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj, so which takes precedence?
The Shaykh : Has not?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj.
The Shaykh : Yes, you must know, O my brothers, that making a vow is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it and said: For this reason, some scholars held that making a vow is forbidden. Why do you make a vow? Why do you burden yourself? Does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not grant you healing, or healing for your relative, unless you set a condition for it? Glory be to Allah! Do not make a vow; ask Allah for healing and well-being. If Allah wills to heal, he will be healed whether you made a vow or not. If you do make a vow, and it is a vow of obedience, you must fulfill it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): Sahih al-Bukhari 6696 Based on this, what do you say about the woman mentioned? Must she perform Hajj or not? She must perform Hajj, but she should begin with the obligatory Hajj, then perform the Hajj of the vow, which is obligatory. If she does not do so, she exposes herself to a great punishment. Listen to the words of Allah the Exalted: [At-Tawbah 9:75-76] Look, they made a covenant with Allah that if Allah enriched them, they would give in charity and be among the righteous. Allah gave them that, but they were stingy with the wealth and turned away from righteousness: [At-Tawbah 9:77] Until when? Until death: [At-Tawbah 9:77].
The summary, O my brothers: Beware of vows; do not make vows. You are in well-being. Do not bind yourselves to what Allah has not bound you to, except by your own action. If someone has a sick person, let him say: O Allah, heal him. If someone wants to pass an exam, let him say: O Allah, make me succeed. Some students now, when the lessons are difficult and they fear failing, say what? I have a vow upon me for Allah that if I succeed, I will do such and such acts of obedience. Then, when he succeeds, he goes and asks, coming to such and such a scholar and such and such a scholar, saying, "Make it so." There is no way out; you must fulfill the vow.
The moderator indicates that the time for the meeting has ended, saying that it is over, and until another meeting.
The Shaykh : To do what?
The questioner : If Allah granted her a child, she would perform Hajj, and Allah granted her a child. Is Hajj obligatory upon her due to the vow, given that she has not yet performed the obligatory Hajj? Which takes precedence?
The Shaykh : Given that she?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj.
The Shaykh : Has not?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj, so which takes precedence?
The Shaykh : Has not?
The questioner : Has not performed the obligatory Hajj.
The Shaykh : Yes, you must know, O my brothers, that making a vow is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it and said:
It does not bring good and does not avert the decree
إنه لا يأتي بخير ولا يرد القضاءWhoever vows that he will be obedient to Allah, should remain obedient to Him
من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه(75) And among them are those who made a covenant with Allah, [saying], "If He should give us from His bounty, we will surely spend in charity, and we will surely be among the righteous." (76) But when he gave them from His bounty, they were stingy with it and turned away while they refused.
وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ عَاهَدَ اللَّهَ لَئِنْ آتَانَا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ فَلَمَّا آتَاهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُوا بِهِ وَتَوَلَّوْا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَSo He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقاً فِي قُلُوبِهِمْUntil the Day they meet Him
إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُbecause they failed Allah in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.
بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكَذِبُونَThe summary, O my brothers: Beware of vows; do not make vows. You are in well-being. Do not bind yourselves to what Allah has not bound you to, except by your own action. If someone has a sick person, let him say: O Allah, heal him. If someone wants to pass an exam, let him say: O Allah, make me succeed. Some students now, when the lessons are difficult and they fear failing, say what? I have a vow upon me for Allah that if I succeed, I will do such and such acts of obedience. Then, when he succeeds, he goes and asks, coming to such and such a scholar and such and such a scholar, saying, "Make it so." There is no way out; you must fulfill the vow.
The moderator indicates that the time for the meeting has ended, saying that it is over, and until another meeting.