The Ruling on Attributing the Reward of a Vow to Others

Question:
The first message we present to his Eminence is from the listener and student (Muhammad . S. N) from the Iraqi Republic, Babylon Governorate. He asks: Is the vow whose reward is attributed to the Imams lawful, or is it forbidden? Its description is that the one making the vow, when fulfilling it, says: "The vow is for Allah, and its reward is for such-and-such an Imam." Please, may Allah reward you.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This question is vague, and vows are of two types: a type that is legislated, and a means of drawing near to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , even though its origin is something from which one is warned, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): However, the general category of vows is something the believer should avoid, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him), when asked about vows: It is agreed upon that it is authentic. In another wording from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): that he forbade vows and said: .
This indicates that the general category of vows is not desirable; because it involves compulsion, and its fulfillment may be difficult for the Muslim, so he should avoid making vows. But when one makes a vow of obedience, he must fulfill it; because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) praised those who fulfill their vows, and He said (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [Al-Insan:7]. He said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Al-Baqarah:270]. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
So if he says: "It is upon me for Allah to fast three days," or "to fast the month of Sha'ban," or "to fast on Monday and Thursday of every week," or the like of that; then all of this is a vow of obedience, and he must fulfill it. Or if he says: "It is upon me for Allah to pray the Duha prayer," or "to pray two rak'ahs tonight," or "four rak'ahs," or the like of that; this is a vow of obedience. Or if he says: "It is upon me for Allah to give such-and-such in charity to the poor and the needy"; this is a vow of obedience. And if he intends by it that this vow is charity on behalf of his father, or his mother, or himself; then it is according to his intention. Or if he intends it on behalf of Imam Malik, or so-and-so, or so-and-so from the scholars of knowledge; then it is according to his intention.
But here is another matter to which one should pay attention, and that is that one may intend by the vow something other than Allah, and drawing near to other than Allah, as some worshippers of graves and worshippers of the dead do. They say: "If Allah heals my sick person, then for Shaykh al-Badawi is such-and-such amount of food, and for Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani is such-and-such amount of money, or wax." This is shirk (associating partners with Allah); because this is a vow to a created being, and the vow is worship, and worship is for Allah alone: [Al-Isra:23]: [Al-Bayyinah:5]: [Adh-Dhariyat:56].
So making a vow for the Shaykhs, or the people of graves, or for the jinn, or for the stars, and drawing near to them, this is worship of other than Allah, so it is not permissible. Rather, the scholars have stated explicitly that it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Glorified and Exalted is He) , because it is drawing near to other than Allah, such as the dead, or the jinn, or the dead Shaykhs, or others to whom one draws near with vows, so this is not permissible.
As for when one draws near to Allah with it, saying: "It is upon me for Allah such-and-such charity of such-and-such dirhams, such-and-such amount of food," intending it for himself, or for his father, or for his mother, or for some of his loved ones, as charity for Allah, drawing near to Allah alone (Glorified and Exalted is He) , then there is nothing wrong with it. But leaving it is better; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows, so it should be left, and the vow is disliked even though it is for Allah; it is disliked.
As for when one intends by the vow other than Allah, believing that this Shaykh heals the sick, or returns the absent one by the wilayah (close friendship with Allah) or karamah (miracle) that Allah has given him; so for this he makes a vow for him. He makes a vow for al-Badawi of food, he makes a vow for him of a calf, he makes a vow for him of a sheep, or for Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or for al-Dasوقي, or for so-and-so, or so-and-so of those in whom the Sufis and others exaggerate. All of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Mighty and Majestic). Or he makes a vow for the jinn, or asks them, seeks their aid, asks the jinn, seeks their aid, seeks refuge in them, or seeks aid from the dead, saying: "O so-and-so! O my master so-and-so! Help me, or heal my sick person, or return my absent one, or I am under your protection, or I am under your guardianship, or the like of that," as the worshippers of the dead and the worshippers of graves do. And this is not permissible; this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
And among the invalid vows that are forbidden to make is a vow to drink intoxicants, or to commit zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), or to deal in riba (usury or interest). These are vows of disobedience. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The scholars differed on whether there is an expiation for it or not, with two opinions. The stronger opinion is that there is an expiation for the vow of disobedience; that he does not commit the sin, but he owes the expiation of an oath; because it came in some narrations: .
So it is necessary for the one who does that to repent to Allah, and he owes the expiation of an oath. If he says: "It is upon me for Allah to drink intoxicants, or to commit zina, or to steal, or to strike so-and-so without right," this is an invalid vow, and it is reprehensible, and it is disobedience, and it is not permissible for him to do it, and he owes the expiation of an oath according to the correct opinion. Yes.