A man whose wife was not bearing children vowed to Allah that if He granted him a son, he and the son would fast every Monday as long as he was able, but after being granted the son, he did not adhere to it
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The questioner : A man who was not having children vowed to Allah that if Allah granted him a son, he and the son would fast every Monday as long as he was able, but after the birth, the son did not adhere to it. What is the solution in your view, may you be rewarded?
The Shaykh : Before answering the question, I would like to say to the brother questioner and the listeners that a vow is disliked. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it, and explained that it does not bring good, and that it does not avert a decree or bring about what has not been decreed. It only obliges a person to do what Allah has not obligated him to do.
Furthermore, it involves having a bad opinion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) if one vows for the attainment of a blessing or the removal of a calamity. Does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not remove calamities from you except on condition? Does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not bring you good except on condition?
Indeed, the favor of Allah is vast. So you should wait until the affliction is lifted from you, then thank Allah for this blessing and give in charity whatever you wish from your wealth. And if Allah blesses you with wealth, thank Allah for that and give in charity whatever you wish from it.
As for making a vow before the calamity is removed and before the blessing is attained, your state resembles the state of those about whom Allah said:[At-Tawbah 9:75-77].
And many are those who ask about vows they made for the attainment of something or the removal of something. Then when they got what they wanted or what they disliked was removed, fulfilling the vow became heavy for them, so they came to ask people: What will free us from this vow?
So either they adhere to this vow with great hardship, or they abandon fulfilling it. In that case, it is feared that the word of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) will befall them:[At-Tawbah 9:77].
My advice, and my advice, and my advice to my brothers: Do not rush into making vows, and praise Allah for well-being. Do not rush into making vows in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and for the safety of their souls by obliging themselves with what did not oblige them, and in anticipation of the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) which comes without a price. And let them look at the saying of the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:53].
And if a person makes a vow of worship for the attainment of something he loves or the removal of something he dislikes, and that thing is attained and what he dislikes is removed, it is obligatory for him to fulfill the vow, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 6696.
As for the answer to the question: The question included the father's vow to fast every Monday, he and his son. As for him, he is obligated to fulfill the vow. As for his son, he is not obligated to fulfill the vow, because a person is not obligated by the vow of another. And there is no sin on the son if he does not fast.
The Shaykh : Before answering the question, I would like to say to the brother questioner and the listeners that a vow is disliked. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it, and explained that it does not bring good, and that it does not avert a decree or bring about what has not been decreed. It only obliges a person to do what Allah has not obligated him to do.
Furthermore, it involves having a bad opinion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) if one vows for the attainment of a blessing or the removal of a calamity. Does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not remove calamities from you except on condition? Does Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not bring you good except on condition?
Indeed, the favor of Allah is vast. So you should wait until the affliction is lifted from you, then thank Allah for this blessing and give in charity whatever you wish from your wealth. And if Allah blesses you with wealth, thank Allah for that and give in charity whatever you wish from it.
As for making a vow before the calamity is removed and before the blessing is attained, your state resembles the state of those about whom Allah said:
(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. (77) So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed Allah in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.
وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ عَاهَدَ اللَّهَ لَئِنْ آتَانَا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ * فَلَمَّا آتَاهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُوا بِهِ وَتَوَلَّوا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ * فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَAnd many are those who ask about vows they made for the attainment of something or the removal of something. Then when they got what they wanted or what they disliked was removed, fulfilling the vow became heavy for them, so they came to ask people: What will free us from this vow?
So either they adhere to this vow with great hardship, or they abandon fulfilling it. In that case, it is feared that the word of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) will befall them:
So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed Allah in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَMy advice, and my advice, and my advice to my brothers: Do not rush into making vows, and praise Allah for well-being. Do not rush into making vows in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and for the safety of their souls by obliging themselves with what did not oblige them, and in anticipation of the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) which comes without a price. And let them look at the saying of the Exalted:
And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allah 's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known
وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَئِنْ أَمَرْتَهُمْ لَيَخْرُجُنَّ قُلْ لا تُقْسِمُوا طَاعَةٌ مَعْرُوفَةٌAnd if a person makes a vow of worship for the attainment of something he loves or the removal of something he dislikes, and that thing is attained and what he dislikes is removed, it is obligatory for him to fulfill the vow, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever vows that he will be obedient to Allah, should remain obedient to Him
من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعهAs for the answer to the question: The question included the father's vow to fast every Monday, he and his son. As for him, he is obligated to fulfill the vow. As for his son, he is not obligated to fulfill the vow, because a person is not obligated by the vow of another. And there is no sin on the son if he does not fast.