- “Vows are of two kinds: whatever is for Allah, its expiation is to fulfil it; and whatever is for Satan is not to be fulfilled, but requires the expiation for an oath.”
Ibn al-Jarud recorded it in al-Muntaqa (935), and al-Bayhaqi (10/72) transmitted it from him: Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Musa ibn A'yan narrated to us; Khattab narrated to us; Abd al-Karim narrated to us from Ata ibn Abi Rabah, from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and among al-Bukhari’s narrators, apart from Khattab, who is Ibn al-Qasim al-Harrani. He is trustworthy, as Ibn Ma'in and Abu Zur'ah stated in one report from him.
Al-Baradha'i related from him: “His hadith is rejected; it is said that he became confused before his death.”
Ibn Hibban included him in al-Thiqat.
Al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “Trustworthy, but became confused before his death.”
I say: His definite assertion that he became confused is unsound. No one besides Abu Zur'ah mentioned this concerning him, as stated above; yet Abu Zur'ah did not state it definitively, but indicated that it was not established by saying, “It is said ...,” for this is, as is well known, a formula expressing uncertainty.
Moreover, the hadith has corroborating reports from Aishah and others, which I have cited in al-Irwa'. Refer to hadiths (2653, 2654, 2656, 2657).
The hadith indicates two matters:
First: if a vow consists of obedience to Allah, it must be fulfilled, and fulfilling it is its expiation. It is authentically reported from him, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: “Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him; and whoever vows to disobey Allah, let him not disobey Him.”