recorded in the two Sahihs: when he said, “By Allah, tonight I will go around to ninety women, each of whom will bear a boy who will fight in the way of Allah.” The angel said to him, “Say: ‘If Allah wills.’” But he did not say, “If Allah wills,” relying on the strength of his resolve. So Allah showed him that the matter is in His hand. He went around to the ninety women—that is, he had intercourse with them all in a single night—and one of them delivered half a human being, not a fully formed child. Had none of them conceived anything, there would have been nothing surprising in that; and had each of them borne a child, he would have fulfilled his oath. But Allah willed to show him His power and that the matter lies in His hand, mighty and majestic is He. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Had he said, ‘If Allah wills,’ he would not have broken his oath, and he would have attained what he sought.” (1) That is, had he said, “If Allah wills,” Allah would have enabled him to fulfill his oath.

An example involving a vow: if he says, “If Allah cures my sick person, then I owe Allah a vow—if Allah wills,” then nothing is due from him if he does not fulfill it. Likewise, if he says, “I owe Allah a vow not to speak to so-and-so—if Allah wills,” and then speaks to him, nothing is due from him. However, this is subject to certain conditions:

First: he must say it aloud, for the author says, “Whoever says.” If he merely intends it in his heart, it does not benefit him. The evidence is the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “Whoever swears an oath and says, ‘If Allah wills’...” Speech is made with the tongue; if he merely intends it, his intention carries no weight.

Second: it must be connected to his oath, either actually or constructively. An example of actual connection is for him to say, “By Allah, I will not speak to so-and-so today, if Allah wills.”