A woman vowed to fast for a week if Allah granted her a worldly matter, and indeed this matter was realized for her, and she indeed fulfilled her vow. Will she be rewarded for her fasting for this, and will her good deeds increase through that fasting, or not?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : A woman vowed to fast for a week if Allah granted her a worldly matter, and indeed this matter was realized for her, and she indeed fulfilled her vow. Will she be rewarded for her fasting for this, and will her good deeds increase through that fasting, or not? Because her fasting was for the sake of realizing a worldly matter?
The Shaykh : She is rewarded for fulfilling her vow, but she is not rewarded for making the vow, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows, and he said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3801Sahih (Darussalam) And he said: .
And many people, unfortunately, when they are afflicted with an illness, or one of their relatives or companions is, they say: "I have a vow to Allah; if Allah heals me, or if Allah heals my sick one, I will fast for a month, or give such-and-such in charity, or the like." This is a mistake. Does Allah the Mighty and Majestic not remove affliction except with a condition?
No, by Allah, a vow does not avert divine decree. If Allah has decreed death for this sick person, he will die, even if one made any vow for his healing. And if Allah has decreed healing for him, he will be healed, even if no vow was made for him. So the vow, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he forbade it.
For this reason, some scholars leaned toward forbidding vows, and that a person must refrain from them. The opinion that it is forbidden is a strong opinion, and it is not far-fetched:
First: Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it.
Second: When the affliction is removed from a person, or a blessing is attained, he attributes it to his vow. He says: "Because I made a vow, Allah brought me good," or "Because I made a vow, Allah healed my sick one." He does not attribute it to the grace of Allah. And this is a great matter.
Third: The one who makes a vow is quick to regret. He says: "I wish I had not bound myself," "I wish I had not made a vow." He regrets greatly. Then, when the condition he set is met, he goes to the door of every scholar asking him, hoping to be released, and he falls into a great problem. And how many are those who seek release.
Then, sometimes he does not fulfill what he vowed. Allah gives him what he loved, but he does not fulfill to Allah what he vowed. And this is also a great danger. Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:75-77] Perhaps this one who made a vow and did not fulfill what he promised Allah will be afflicted with hypocrisy until death, and may Allah protect us from that.
Stay away from vows, my brother. Beware of vows. Do not make vows. If you have a sick person, ask Allah for his healing. If you have lost something of your wealth, ask Allah to return it to you. If you are poor, ask Allah for wealth, and do not make vows.
The questioner : Thank you, may Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and may Allah benefit Islam and the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : She is rewarded for fulfilling her vow, but she is not rewarded for making the vow, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows, and he said:
They do not bring any good
إنه لا يأتي بخيرIt does not avert a decree.
إنه لا يرد قضاءًAnd many people, unfortunately, when they are afflicted with an illness, or one of their relatives or companions is, they say: "I have a vow to Allah; if Allah heals me, or if Allah heals my sick one, I will fast for a month, or give such-and-such in charity, or the like." This is a mistake. Does Allah the Mighty and Majestic not remove affliction except with a condition?
No, by Allah, a vow does not avert divine decree. If Allah has decreed death for this sick person, he will die, even if one made any vow for his healing. And if Allah has decreed healing for him, he will be healed, even if no vow was made for him. So the vow, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
It does not avert divine decree, nor does it bring good.
لا يرد قضاءً ولا يأت بخيرFor this reason, some scholars leaned toward forbidding vows, and that a person must refrain from them. The opinion that it is forbidden is a strong opinion, and it is not far-fetched:
First: Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it.
Second: When the affliction is removed from a person, or a blessing is attained, he attributes it to his vow. He says: "Because I made a vow, Allah brought me good," or "Because I made a vow, Allah healed my sick one." He does not attribute it to the grace of Allah. And this is a great matter.
Third: The one who makes a vow is quick to regret. He says: "I wish I had not bound myself," "I wish I had not made a vow." He regrets greatly. Then, when the condition he set is met, he goes to the door of every scholar asking him, hoping to be released, and he falls into a great problem. And how many are those who seek release.
Then, sometimes he does not fulfill what he vowed. Allah gives him what he loved, but he does not fulfill to Allah what he vowed. And this is also a great danger. Allah the Exalted 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
ومنهم من عاهد الله لئن آتانا من فضله لنصدقن ولنكونن من الصالحين فلما أتاهم من فضله بخلوا به وتولوا وهم معرضون فأعقبهم نفاقاً في قلوبهم إلى يوم يلقونهStay away from vows, my brother. Beware of vows. Do not make vows. If you have a sick person, ask Allah for his healing. If you have lost something of your wealth, ask Allah to return it to you. If you are poor, ask Allah for wealth, and do not make vows.
The questioner : Thank you, may Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and may Allah benefit Islam and the Muslims through you.