I made a vow to fast ten days in the month of Muharram, but I was unable to fast in Muharram due to studies. Should I fast in a month other than Muharram?
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Question: I made a vow to fast ten days in the month of Muharram, but I was unable to fast in Muharram due to studies. Should I fast in a month other than Muharram, meaning after my studies end? I actually fasted in a month other than Muharram. Does that suffice or not? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer: If you intended the month of Muharram of a specific year, then it is missed when that month passes, and you would then owe an oath expiation; because the place for the vow has passed. However, if you intended the month of Muharram without specifying a year, meaning from any year, then if you do not fast in this year, fast in the month of Muharram of another year. I think this is a remote possibility, but this question allows for this interpretation.
As for what you mentioned about having made up the fasts after the days had passed, I do not see that making up the fasts applies in this case. Rather, you owe an oath expiation because the place for the vow has passed.
Question: Allah has blessed me, and I bought a piece of land to build a house on it, and that was three years ago, for the sum of two thousand pounds. After buying it and feeling Allah’s blessing upon me, I vowed that when I build on it, I would make the entire ground floor a mosque, and the house would be on the upper floor.And I said before my relatives and friends: I vowed to do this work, but I found that my financial capabilities would not allow me to build, due to the high costs of construction. I will sell this land in the coming months, if Allah wills. I hope you will inform me, what should I do with this vow? If I sell this piece of land, is the vow dropped from me, or must I do something in its place?Second: Regarding the zakah on this value, do I pay out the zakah value on the amount I bought it for only, from the date of its purchase, or do I pay the zakah on the amount it will be sold for? Please inform us, may Allah reward you all with good.
Answer: What appears from your question is that you want to build on this land that you bought and make the ground floor of it a mosque, and that you vowed this vow in gratitude to Allah for facilitating this land for you, but you are currently unable to develop it.And you ask: Is it permissible for you to sell it?
No, it is not permissible for you to sell it; because you vowed to make the ground floor of it a mosque, and to make what is above it a residence. As long as you are unable to build on it at the present time, you wait until Allah the Exalted facilitates its construction and you fulfill what you vowed; because you have not yet lost hope of being unable to build it and fulfill this vow that you made.
Question: Meaning the vow remains a debt in his liability until he is able?
Answer: Yes, he leaves the land and waits until Allah facilitates its construction and the fulfillment of this vow. If he loses hope of that, and loses hope of being able to build it and fulfill this vow, then at that time he asks the people of knowledge. But now, what I see is that he should wait and not sell this land, perhaps Allah will facilitate a construction for it.
Question: So on this basis, there is no zakah on it as long as he intends to build on it?
Answer: Yes, he keeps it in anticipation of fulfilling what he vowed in it, and there is no zakah on him during this period.
Answer: If you intended the month of Muharram of a specific year, then it is missed when that month passes, and you would then owe an oath expiation; because the place for the vow has passed. However, if you intended the month of Muharram without specifying a year, meaning from any year, then if you do not fast in this year, fast in the month of Muharram of another year. I think this is a remote possibility, but this question allows for this interpretation.
As for what you mentioned about having made up the fasts after the days had passed, I do not see that making up the fasts applies in this case. Rather, you owe an oath expiation because the place for the vow has passed.
Question: Allah has blessed me, and I bought a piece of land to build a house on it, and that was three years ago, for the sum of two thousand pounds. After buying it and feeling Allah’s blessing upon me, I vowed that when I build on it, I would make the entire ground floor a mosque, and the house would be on the upper floor.And I said before my relatives and friends: I vowed to do this work, but I found that my financial capabilities would not allow me to build, due to the high costs of construction. I will sell this land in the coming months, if Allah wills. I hope you will inform me, what should I do with this vow? If I sell this piece of land, is the vow dropped from me, or must I do something in its place?Second: Regarding the zakah on this value, do I pay out the zakah value on the amount I bought it for only, from the date of its purchase, or do I pay the zakah on the amount it will be sold for? Please inform us, may Allah reward you all with good.
Answer: What appears from your question is that you want to build on this land that you bought and make the ground floor of it a mosque, and that you vowed this vow in gratitude to Allah for facilitating this land for you, but you are currently unable to develop it.And you ask: Is it permissible for you to sell it?
No, it is not permissible for you to sell it; because you vowed to make the ground floor of it a mosque, and to make what is above it a residence. As long as you are unable to build on it at the present time, you wait until Allah the Exalted facilitates its construction and you fulfill what you vowed; because you have not yet lost hope of being unable to build it and fulfill this vow that you made.
Question: Meaning the vow remains a debt in his liability until he is able?
Answer: Yes, he leaves the land and waits until Allah facilitates its construction and the fulfillment of this vow. If he loses hope of that, and loses hope of being able to build it and fulfill this vow, then at that time he asks the people of knowledge. But now, what I see is that he should wait and not sell this land, perhaps Allah will facilitate a construction for it.
Question: So on this basis, there is no zakah on it as long as he intends to build on it?
Answer: Yes, he keeps it in anticipation of fulfilling what he vowed in it, and there is no zakah on him during this period.