One who vows obedience to Allah in exchange for a benefit, then fails to fulfill this vow out of laziness and negligence, what is required of him?
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The questioner : A man vowed to bind himself to a specific matter that is prescribed, for example, to pray two units of the night prayer for the rest of his life if Allah the Exalted grants him such and such, or if Allah the Exalted blesses him with such and such. He intends the vow, but then he is unable to continue with what he imposed on himself, failing out of laziness and negligence. I mean, of course, it is not an inability due to illness, right?
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : We were attending this question, our Shaykh, a day before you arrived, and we noticed the word, meaning negligence. He saw that the matter was difficult for him every day, every day he asks, meaning what is the release from this?
The Shaykh : Okay, in your question you used the word, you said if Allah wills it, what do you mean by this word?
The questioner : I mean, he said, I vowed that if my son recovers, for example, I will keep praying two units of the night prayer.
The Shaykh : And his son recovered?
The questioner : And his son recovered.
The Shaykh : So the matter here, as stated in the observation made by Abu Faris, if he is able to fulfill this vow, then he must continue until his last breath in his life. And if he is unable, as came from your wording, and then you corrected the wording to another meaning, the truth is there is a great difference. If unable means he has grown old, become elderly, fallen ill, or something similar, then it is permissible for him to stop fulfilling his vow, but he must pay the expiation for an oath. However, if he is still able, but he regrets this vow, there is no time for regret. It is not permissible for him to regret, especially in the worship of Allah Mighty and Majestic. So, in brief, if he is able to continue, that is his obligatory duty, and it is not permissible for him to abandon fulfilling his vow. If he is unable, then in that case, he must pay the expiation for an oath.
The questioner : Okay, if his vow is not prescribed, is the expiation obligatory for him?
The Shaykh : He must pay the expiation for an oath, and it is necessary.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you.
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : We were attending this question, our Shaykh, a day before you arrived, and we noticed the word, meaning negligence. He saw that the matter was difficult for him every day, every day he asks, meaning what is the release from this?
The Shaykh : Okay, in your question you used the word, you said if Allah wills it, what do you mean by this word?
The questioner : I mean, he said, I vowed that if my son recovers, for example, I will keep praying two units of the night prayer.
The Shaykh : And his son recovered?
The questioner : And his son recovered.
The Shaykh : So the matter here, as stated in the observation made by Abu Faris, if he is able to fulfill this vow, then he must continue until his last breath in his life. And if he is unable, as came from your wording, and then you corrected the wording to another meaning, the truth is there is a great difference. If unable means he has grown old, become elderly, fallen ill, or something similar, then it is permissible for him to stop fulfilling his vow, but he must pay the expiation for an oath. However, if he is still able, but he regrets this vow, there is no time for regret. It is not permissible for him to regret, especially in the worship of Allah Mighty and Majestic. So, in brief, if he is able to continue, that is his obligatory duty, and it is not permissible for him to abandon fulfilling his vow. If he is unable, then in that case, he must pay the expiation for an oath.
The questioner : Okay, if his vow is not prescribed, is the expiation obligatory for him?
The Shaykh : He must pay the expiation for an oath, and it is necessary.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.