I heard that in a permissible vow, making it up is not obligatory, but expiation is permissible, and it is also permissible to make it up. Is this correct?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
May the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : From what I have studied, there are types of vows: there is an obligatory vow, a vow of obedience, a permissible vow, and a vow of disobedience. I heard that in a permissible vow, making it up is not obligatory, but expiation is permissible, and it is also permissible to make it up. How is that?
The Shaykh : What is the permissible vow that you understood?
The questioner : For example: he says, "I have a vow to read such-and-such a book"?
The Shaykh : Yes, or to sell my car, or to buy such-and-such a garment. The ruling on a permissible vow is the ruling of an oath. So if he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to sell my car," or "I have a vow upon me for Allah to buy so-and-so's car," or "I have a vow upon me for Allah to buy such-and-such a house," we tell him: You are now at your option. If you wish, do it, and if you wish, do not do it, and expiate with the expiation of an oath, because this is a permissible vow. A vow of obedience is when he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to fast tomorrow," meaning: on Monday. A vow of disobedience is when he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to boycott so-and-so," and he does not deserve to be boycotted.
The questioner : A man vowed to buy such-and-such for his mother. Which type is this?
The Shaykh : This is a type of vow of obedience, if this is something that pleases the mother, or that the mother needs, because in that case it falls under dutifulness to parents, and dutifulness to parents is among obedience. So it is obligatory for him to buy it for her, unless she says, "I do not want it." If she says, "I do not want it," then it is not obligatory for him to buy it, and in this case he should expiate with the expiation of an oath.
May the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : From what I have studied, there are types of vows: there is an obligatory vow, a vow of obedience, a permissible vow, and a vow of disobedience. I heard that in a permissible vow, making it up is not obligatory, but expiation is permissible, and it is also permissible to make it up. How is that?
The Shaykh : What is the permissible vow that you understood?
The questioner : For example: he says, "I have a vow to read such-and-such a book"?
The Shaykh : Yes, or to sell my car, or to buy such-and-such a garment. The ruling on a permissible vow is the ruling of an oath. So if he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to sell my car," or "I have a vow upon me for Allah to buy so-and-so's car," or "I have a vow upon me for Allah to buy such-and-such a house," we tell him: You are now at your option. If you wish, do it, and if you wish, do not do it, and expiate with the expiation of an oath, because this is a permissible vow. A vow of obedience is when he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to fast tomorrow," meaning: on Monday. A vow of disobedience is when he says, "I have a vow upon me for Allah to boycott so-and-so," and he does not deserve to be boycotted.
The questioner : A man vowed to buy such-and-such for his mother. Which type is this?
The Shaykh : This is a type of vow of obedience, if this is something that pleases the mother, or that the mother needs, because in that case it falls under dutifulness to parents, and dutifulness to parents is among obedience. So it is obligatory for him to buy it for her, unless she says, "I do not want it." If she says, "I do not want it," then it is not obligatory for him to buy it, and in this case he should expiate with the expiation of an oath.