What is required of one who made a vow but is unable to fulfill it?
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Question:
A message was received for the program from one of the female listeners. Umm Khalid, who is thirty-six years old, says: I married seventeen years ago and remained childless for three years. After that, I was blessed with a daughter who died in childbirth. So I vowed for the sake of Allah the Exalted to slaughter a sheep every year if my Lord blessed me with children. The price of a sheep at that time did not exceed five dinars, but now the price of a sheep exceeds one hundred dinars. I now feel guilty and am confused. What should I do? Since I have not slaughtered a single sheep until now due to my financial situation.
I ask your eminence to guide me to the right path. How do I expiate for my sin? Since I am unable to slaughter fourteen sheep, that is, the age of my eldest child, for—praise be to Allah—Allah blessed me with four sons after four years of marriage.
Answer:
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: : [al-Baqarah:280] So as long as you are unable, nothing is required of you. Rather, these sacrifices remain a debt in your trust. So when you are able, slaughter whatever is easy for you, as a nearness to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and distribute it among the poor, if your intention was to feed the poor, or if you had no specific intention. In that case, this sacrifice is distributed among the poor, whenever it becomes easy for you. And as long as you are unable, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) does not burden you with what you cannot do. Allah the Sublime says: [al-Taghabun:16].
And if the debt of created beings is postponed due to hardship, then the debt of Allah is even more deserving of it; for He is more generous and closer to forgiveness than a created being, so there is no blame on you until you are able.
So when you are able, sacrifice what is easy according to your capacity, and do not return to making vows in the future; never make a vow. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making vows, and he said:Sahih Muslim 1639c.
So the advice for you is not to make vows in the future. As for this vow, you must fear Allah in it. So when you are able, slaughter until you fulfill what is required of you from the sacrifices. And as long as you are unable, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) is the Forgiving, the Generous, as He the Sublime said: [al-Baqarah:280], yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A message was received for the program from one of the female listeners. Umm Khalid, who is thirty-six years old, says: I married seventeen years ago and remained childless for three years. After that, I was blessed with a daughter who died in childbirth. So I vowed for the sake of Allah the Exalted to slaughter a sheep every year if my Lord blessed me with children. The price of a sheep at that time did not exceed five dinars, but now the price of a sheep exceeds one hundred dinars. I now feel guilty and am confused. What should I do? Since I have not slaughtered a single sheep until now due to my financial situation.
I ask your eminence to guide me to the right path. How do I expiate for my sin? Since I am unable to slaughter fourteen sheep, that is, the age of my eldest child, for—praise be to Allah—Allah blessed me with four sons after four years of marriage.
Answer:
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: :
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd if the debt of created beings is postponed due to hardship, then the debt of Allah is even more deserving of it; for He is more generous and closer to forgiveness than a created being, so there is no blame on you until you are able.
So when you are able, sacrifice what is easy according to your capacity, and do not return to making vows in the future; never make a vow. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making vows, and he 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 البخيلSo the advice for you is not to make vows in the future. As for this vow, you must fear Allah in it. So when you are able, slaughter until you fulfill what is required of you from the sacrifices. And as long as you are unable, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) is the Forgiving, the Generous, as He the Sublime said:
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.