What is required of one who vowed to Allah to refrain from something and then did it?
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Question:
The listener Yasser Mubarak sent a question saying: I vowed to Allah the Exalted not to do a certain thing, but I did that thing, and circumstances forced me to do so, as he says. He seeks guidance, clarification of the ruling, and whether he owes anything.
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If the questioner swore an oath, then he owes the expiation for the oath. As for a mere vow, there is no expiation for it, unless the act performed is forbidden. In that case, he must repent to Allah for it. Even if he had not made a vow, if the act is forbidden—such as vowing to Allah not to drink intoxicants, not to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, not to smoke, or not to shave his beard—and then he did it, he must repent for it. These are sins for which he must repent to Allah, even if he had not made a vow.
But if he swore an oath, saying, "By Allah, I will not do it," and then did it, he owes the expiation for the oath, along with repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
As for when only a vow was made, without an oath, there is no expiation. He only has to repent to Allah for what he did if the act was a sin. If the act was not a sin, such as vowing to Allah not to visit so-and-so, or not to travel to so-and-so's country in a manner that does not involve sin, then there is no harm. He only owes the expiation for the oath. Repentance is required for committing a sin. If he vowed to Allah not to visit a relative, this falls under the category of severing ties, so he must repent to Allah for it. If he vowed to Allah not to travel to perform Hajj or 'Umrah, this is a sin, so he must repent to Allah for it. If there was an oath, he owes the expiation for the oath. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listener Yasser Mubarak sent a question saying: I vowed to Allah the Exalted not to do a certain thing, but I did that thing, and circumstances forced me to do so, as he says. He seeks guidance, clarification of the ruling, and whether he owes anything.
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If the questioner swore an oath, then he owes the expiation for the oath. As for a mere vow, there is no expiation for it, unless the act performed is forbidden. In that case, he must repent to Allah for it. Even if he had not made a vow, if the act is forbidden—such as vowing to Allah not to drink intoxicants, not to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, not to smoke, or not to shave his beard—and then he did it, he must repent for it. These are sins for which he must repent to Allah, even if he had not made a vow.
But if he swore an oath, saying, "By Allah, I will not do it," and then did it, he owes the expiation for the oath, along with repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
As for when only a vow was made, without an oath, there is no expiation. He only has to repent to Allah for what he did if the act was a sin. If the act was not a sin, such as vowing to Allah not to visit so-and-so, or not to travel to so-and-so's country in a manner that does not involve sin, then there is no harm. He only owes the expiation for the oath. Repentance is required for committing a sin. If he vowed to Allah not to visit a relative, this falls under the category of severing ties, so he must repent to Allah for it. If he vowed to Allah not to travel to perform Hajj or 'Umrah, this is a sin, so he must repent to Allah for it. If there was an oath, he owes the expiation for the oath. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.