Guidance for those who bind themselves to vows
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Question:
Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz, may Allah preserve you. Some people bind themselves to these vows, and then they are unable to fulfill them, and they seek a ruling from the scholars. What is obligatory for people in this matter, O Shaykh?
Answer:
Vows are not to be made. The Messenger prohibited vows, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 3426.
Therefore, it is obligatory for people to abandon vows and not engage in them. That is, a Muslim should avoid vows; because he makes a vow, and then he regrets it. So it is obligatory to avoid vows. But when one makes a vow of obedience, fulfilling it becomes obligatory; because Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Insan:7]. And He the Exalted says: [Al-Baqarah:270], meaning: He will reward you for it. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6696.
So when a vow is made, it is looked into. If it is obedience to Allah, fulfilling it is obligatory. If it is not obedience, he expiates for his vow. But it is not permissible for him to make a vow in the first place. That is, he should know that he will never make a vow. But when he makes a vow of obedience, such as saying, as mentioned earlier: "If Allah heals my sick person, I will fast for a month, or fast for ten days... I will give a thousand riyals in charity, or the like," he is bound to fulfill it. But in the first place, it is said to him: Do not make a vow. But when he makes a vow of obedience, he is bound to fulfill it. Yes.
The presenter: Thank you, Your Eminence, and may Allah bless you, your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz, may Allah preserve you. Some people bind themselves to these vows, and then they are unable to fulfill them, and they seek a ruling from the scholars. What is obligatory for people in this matter, O Shaykh?
Answer:
Vows are not to be made. The Messenger prohibited vows, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not make vows, for a vow has no effect against fate; it is only from the miserly that it is a means by which something is extracted.
لا تنذروا فإن النذر لا يرد من قدر الله شيئًا، وإنما يستخرج به من البخيلTherefore, it is obligatory for people to abandon vows and not engage in them. That is, a Muslim should avoid vows; because he makes a vow, and then he regrets it. So it is obligatory to avoid vows. But when one makes a vow of obedience, fulfilling it becomes obligatory; because Allah the Exalted said:
They [are those who] fulfill [their] vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread.
يُوفُونَ بِالنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا كَانَ شَرُّهُ مُسْتَطِيرًاAnd whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allah knows of it
وَمَا أَنفَقْتُمْ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُمْ مِنْ نَذْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُWhoever vows that he will be obedient to Allah, should remain obedient to Him
من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعهSo when a vow is made, it is looked into. If it is obedience to Allah, fulfilling it is obligatory. If it is not obedience, he expiates for his vow. But it is not permissible for him to make a vow in the first place. That is, he should know that he will never make a vow. But when he makes a vow of obedience, such as saying, as mentioned earlier: "If Allah heals my sick person, I will fast for a month, or fast for ten days... I will give a thousand riyals in charity, or the like," he is bound to fulfill it. But in the first place, it is said to him: Do not make a vow. But when he makes a vow of obedience, he is bound to fulfill it. Yes.
The presenter: Thank you, Your Eminence, and may Allah bless you, your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.