The ruling on one who vows to fast five days every time he smokes a cigarette

This brother Abu Ra'id from Riyadh sent us this message, in which he says: I made a vow to fast five days for Allah the Exalted every time I smoke a cigarette, as a means of abstaining from it. I made this vow while I was not in a state of complete anger, I knew what I was saying, and I was determined on the vow. The days passed, but I could not resist the devil's desire for smoke. I smoked my first cigarette and then fasted the five days. Does this fasting expiate the first vow, or am I required to fast five days for every cigarette I smoke thereafter? Because I have smoked a lot, and I cannot count them; they reach hundreds of cigarettes. I am able to feed and clothe any number of poor people, but I am unable to fast, not because of my health, but because of my preoccupation with my work. I am confused about my situation. Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: I ask Allah to guide you and protect you from Satan so that you abandon this vile thing, which is smoking, and are safe from its religious and worldly harm. As for this vow, where you vowed that if you smoke you will fast five days, you have a choice. If you wish, fast the five days; if you wish, expiate with the expiation of an oath. Because your intention was to abstain from this vile thing, it is a vow that is treated as an oath. So you are given a choice: if you fast the days, that suffices. If you leave off the fasting, you must perform the expiation of an oath, which is feeding ten poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' of the staple food of the land, whether dates, rice, wheat, corn, or barley, according to the staple food of the land. Or you may clothe them, giving each one a garment, such as a shirt, a lower garment, and a cloak, for ten people. This suffices in place of the fasting. You are not required to fast again. If you smoke again, the first instance suffices. If you said, "If I smoke a cigarette, I will fast five days," then this first fast or first expiation suffices for you. This is what is obligatory.
However, if you said, "Every time I smoke, I must fast..." If you said these words, "Every time I smoke, I will fast five days," then every time you smoke, you must perform the expiation of an oath, or fast. Either you fast or you expiate with the expiation of an oath. Because you said "every time," this applies to everything that comes in the future. So it is obligatory for you to fear Allah, abandon this vile thing, strive hard, and take from doctors what helps you to quit it. Because it is harmful to your religion and your worldly life, and it is forbidden. It is not permissible to smoke it, sell it, buy it, or trade in it. So fear Allah, hold yourself to account, and strive against your soul for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Know that the ruling is as follows in detail:
First: If you said, "If I smoke, I must fast five days," then there is a choice after you have smoked the first drink, the first cigarette. After you have smoked it, you have a choice. If you wish, fast. You have fasted, and praise be to Allah, and the matter is ended. If you return to it, nothing is required of you. Even if you had performed the expiation of an oath, that suffices in place of the fasting. Because this vow is treated as an oath, and it is not from the category of drawing near to Allah. Because the intention behind it is to deter yourself and prevent you from smoking, not to draw near through fasting. The intention is to restrain yourself. Because whenever you remember that you have a fast due, you abstain. But Satan overcame you until you did this smoking. You should overcome the enemy of Allah, strive against him, and seek help from Allah so that you abandon this vile thing and are safe from its many harms.
However, if you said, "Every time I smoke, I will fast five days," then it is required of you that every time you smoke, you fast, or you expiate with the expiation of an oath. One of the two things. You have a choice. Every time you smoke a cigarette, you must fast five days or expiate with the expiation of an oath by feeding ten poor people or clothing them. And success is from Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you. I mean, the difference in the ruling is that the first phrase: one time is sufficient?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: And the second phrase: every time the event is repeated, the fasting or the expiation of an oath is repeated.
The Shaykh: Yes, or the expiation of an oath.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.