Clarification that a vow is not among the causes of success
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Question:
I once made a vow before an exam that if I passed from the sixth grade to the first year of middle school, I would slaughter a sacrificial animal. I passed in the second round, not the first. Should I slaughter the animal or not? It has been four years, and I have not fulfilled the vow. I also made a similar vow that if I passed from the third year of middle school to the first year of high school, I would do the same. Is it permissible for me to slaughter one animal or two if I pass into the first year of high school?
Answer:
If you made the vow without intending to pass in the first round, you must fulfill your vow. You must slaughter the animal for the sake of Allah and distribute it to the poor. You and your household must not eat any of it. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 2126Sahih (Darussalam). Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih from the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).
However, if you intended by your vow to pass in the first round, and you only passed in the second round, then you owe nothing. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 1, which is agreed upon as authentic from the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Likewise, regarding your vow to pass from middle school to high school, you must fulfill it if you pass, based on the aforementioned hadith of Aisha. If you intended by your first or second vow to slaughter the animal for your household, relatives, and neighbors, then you are to follow what you intended, based on the aforementioned hadith of 'Umar.
You should, my brother, not return to making vows, because they do not avert anything from the decree of Allah, nor are they among the causes of success. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows and said:Sahih Muslim 1639c, as established in the two Sahihs from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
We ask Allah for guidance and success for us and for you.
I once made a vow before an exam that if I passed from the sixth grade to the first year of middle school, I would slaughter a sacrificial animal. I passed in the second round, not the first. Should I slaughter the animal or not? It has been four years, and I have not fulfilled the vow. I also made a similar vow that if I passed from the third year of middle school to the first year of high school, I would do the same. Is it permissible for me to slaughter one animal or two if I pass into the first year of high school?
Answer:
If you made the vow without intending to pass in the first round, you must fulfill your vow. You must slaughter the animal for the sake of Allah and distribute it to the poor. You and your household must not eat any of it. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Allah, let him not disobey Him.
من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه، ومن نذر أن يعصي الله فلا يعصهHowever, if you intended by your vow to pass in the first round, and you only passed in the second round, then you owe nothing. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوىYou should, my brother, not return to making vows, because they do not avert anything from the decree of Allah, nor are they among the causes of success. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows and said:
It does not (necessarily) bring good (in the form of substantial, and tangible results), but it is the meant whereby something is extracted from the miserly persons.
إنه لا يأتي بخير، وإنما يستخرج به من البخيلWe ask Allah for guidance and success for us and for you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.