unspecified recipient, or emancipating an unspecified slave—unless he formulates his conditional undertaking as a vow, as when he says: “If I do such-and-such, or if I do it, then I undertake for Allah to do such-and-such.” In that case, divorce is not binding upon him, since it involves no act of obedience to Allah. Other acts of obedience, however, are binding upon him, though none may be judicially enforced against him, even the emancipation of a specified slave.

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A vow is not judicially enforced against a person, even when made for a specified beneficiary, because its fulfilment requires intention. If it were enforced against him against his will, he could not form a valid intention, and thus the vow would not be fulfilled. This applies when he specifies the content of his vow. If, however, he does not specify it, but merely says, “I am bound by a vow if I do such-and-such,” he is treated exactly like someone who swears by Allah, with respect to inadvertent oaths, exceptions, and every other aspect. There is nothing disliked in this. Likewise, if he says, “I am bound by a vow to Allah,” or “I am bound by a vow to Allah if Allah does such-and-such for me,” he must offer the expiation for an oath.

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Oaths fall into three categories: permissible, disliked, and prohibited.

Permissible oaths are those sworn by Allah Most High, by one of His Most Beautiful Names, or by one of His sublime attributes. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“They swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be better guided than any of the previous nations.” [Fātir: 42]

He also says:

“They swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a sign came to them, they would surely believe in it.” [al-An'ām: 109]

“The Prophet ﷺ would often swear, ‘No, by the Turner of hearts,’ or ‘No, by Him in whose hand is my soul.’” This followed Allah’s command to swear by His name, as He says in Surah Jonah: