Umdat at-Talib - Al-Buhuti - (1/238)

Chapter on Vows

(1) A vow is valid when made by any legally accountable person, even by a non-Muslim. If someone merely says, “I owe Allah a vow,” or similar words, what becomes binding on him is the expiation for an oath.

A vow uttered out of obstinacy or anger gives its maker the choice between fulfilling the vow or paying the expiation for an oath; the same ruling applies to a vow concerning something that is merely permissible.

For a vow to do something disliked—such as divorcing—it is recommended that he offer the expiation and not carry the act out.

A vow to commit a sin—such as killing or drinking wine—must not be fulfilled; rather, he must offer the expiation.

A devotional vow—like undertaking prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and the like—must be fulfilled. Included in this category is the conditional statement: “If Allah heals my sick one, or safeguards my property, and the like, then I owe Allah such-and-such,” once the condition is met.

Whoever vows to give all of his wealth in charity fulfills the vow by giving one third of it.

If a person vows to fast a month or the like, he is required to fast the days consecutively, not as scattered days, unless he expressly stipulated (2) or intended otherwise.

(1) Linguistically, nadhr (vow) means to impose an obligation; for instance, the expression “nadhra damu fulan” signifies that killing him has become obligatory. Technically, it is a legally competent and willing person binding himself to Allah to perform something possible, by means of any wording that conveys this commitment. (2) The original manuscript reads “with a condition,” whereas the wording adopted here follows the other copies.

بابُ النَّذْر (١) يَصحُّ مِن مُكلَّفٍ ولو كافرًا، وإذا قال: لله عليَّ نذرٌ ونحوه فكفارة يمين. ونَذْرُ اللَّجاج والغضب يُخَيّر فيه بينه وبين كفارة يمين، كنذْرِ المُباح. ونَذْرُ المكروهِ؛ كالطلاقِ يُسَنُّ أن يُكَفِّرَ ولا يفعله. ونَذْرُ المعصيةِ؛ كالقتلِ وشُرْبِ الخمر يحرم الوفاءُ به ويُكفِّر. ونَذْرُ التبرّر؛ كالصلاةِ والصَّومِ والحَجِّ ونحوه يلزمُ الوَفَاءُ به، ومنه: إن شفا اللهُ مَريضي، أو سَلَّمَ مالي ونحوه فللَّه عليَّ كذا إذا وُجِدَ شَرطُه. ومَنْ نَذَرَ الصَّدَقَةَ بماله كُلّه أجزأه ثُلثه. وإن نَذَر صَومَ شهرٍ أو نحوه لَزِمَه تَتَابُعُه، لا أياماً مَعدودة إلا بِشَرطهِ (٢) أو نيّته. * * *

(١) النذر لغةً: الإيجاب يقال نذر دم فلان أي: أوجب قتله. وشرعاً: إلزام مكلف مختار نفسه لله تعالى شيئا غير محال بكل قول يدل عليه. (٢) في (الأصل): "بشرط"، والمثبت من بقية النسخ.