Fulfilling a Disliked Vow
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Question: My grandmother vowed to fast the month of Rajab for the rest of her life, a vow made purely for the sake of Allah, if her wishes were fulfilled. After her wishes were fulfilled, she fasted as she had vowed, until she reached an age where fasting became difficult for her, and it became hard on her due to illness and old age. What is the ruling in this case? Is she required to continue, or should she pay the expiation and be excused from this vow?
Answer: Singling out Rajab for fasting is disliked. So this woman who vowed to fast the month of Rajab has made a disliked vow. When a person vows to do something disliked, the better course is not to do it and to pay the expiation for an oath. So she must pay the expiation for an oath by freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing ten poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' of food, or a garment that suffices him for his prayer. If she is unable to
do any one of the three things mentioned, then she must fast three days. This is the best for her, and she should not carry out this vow.
Answer: Singling out Rajab for fasting is disliked. So this woman who vowed to fast the month of Rajab has made a disliked vow. When a person vows to do something disliked, the better course is not to do it and to pay the expiation for an oath. So she must pay the expiation for an oath by freeing a slave, or feeding ten poor people, or clothing ten poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' of food, or a garment that suffices him for his prayer. If she is unable to
do any one of the three things mentioned, then she must fast three days. This is the best for her, and she should not carry out this vow.