What is the obligation of a man who vowed to fast a day but was unable to do so?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, a man vowed to fast a day but was unable to do so for some reason. What is his obligation? For example, I vowed to fast Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for a certain matter with a person, but I was unable to fast on Saturday because, for example, the weather was hot or for some other reason. So what should I do? Do I fast on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, or is there an expiation?
The Shaykh : No, if you are able to make it up, you make it up.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because this vow that the one who vowed it made obligatory upon himself is not more obligatory or more binding than the fasting of Ramadan which Allah made obligatory upon him.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And even so, if he does not fast days of Ramadan, the matter is as it came in the Qur'an[Al-Baqarah 2:184].
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So the vow is more deserving of this making up.
The questioner : Yes, that is right. Okay, Shaykh, if he is unable to make it up, what is the expiation?
The Shaykh : Yes, you are saying he was unable, and you are now imposing theoretical hypotheticals. Do you want to say that he was also unable to fast Ramadan?
The questioner : No, Ramadan is different.
The Shaykh : How is it that he is able to fast Ramadan for thirty days, and you assume that he is unable to fast three days? This is a logical, theoretical sequence.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It leadsThe questioner : to questions that have no point.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Therefore, ask about what is beneficial. May Allah bless you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you.
The Shaykh : No, if you are able to make it up, you make it up.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because this vow that the one who vowed it made obligatory upon himself is not more obligatory or more binding than the fasting of Ramadan which Allah made obligatory upon him.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And even so, if he does not fast days of Ramadan, the matter is as it came in the Qur'an
an equal number of days [are to be made up]
فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So the vow is more deserving of this making up.
The questioner : Yes, that is right. Okay, Shaykh, if he is unable to make it up, what is the expiation?
The Shaykh : Yes, you are saying he was unable, and you are now imposing theoretical hypotheticals. Do you want to say that he was also unable to fast Ramadan?
The questioner : No, Ramadan is different.
The Shaykh : How is it that he is able to fast Ramadan for thirty days, and you assume that he is unable to fast three days? This is a logical, theoretical sequence.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It leadsThe questioner : to questions that have no point.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Therefore, ask about what is beneficial. May Allah bless you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.