Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualaikum

Dear Burhan bhai, I appreciate your good work by spreading the real word of Allah(swt) and u have indeed strengthend my faith. I have 2 questions & I hope you will reply me soon.

1. Some time back one of my cousins was very ill and my aunt (His`s father`s sister) who loves him very much made a Niyyat that once he recovers from his illness she will at her own cost send him to Hajj. My cousin recovered from his illness. My question is ` Is this a valid Niyyat ?

2, My aunt is a Doctor and at that time she was umnmarried. After marriage when she spoke about this to her husbend, he is not happy about this and disapproves her intentions. What does she do now?

Please reply. Your speedy response will be much appreciated.

Your Sister-in-Islam.

Allah-haafiz.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Making vows

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: Some time back one of my cousins was very ill and my aunt (His`s father`s sister) who loves him very much made a Niyyat that once he recovers from his illness she will at her own cost send him to Hajj. My cousin recovered from his illness. My question is ` Is this a valid Niyyat ?

The ‘neeyah’ or promise that your aunt made with Allah that ‘if so and so thing is done I will do so and so…’ is what is known as a ‘nadhar’ (vow) in Fiqh or Jurisprudence terminology. The Messenger of Allah (saws) discouraged the believers from making such ‘nadhar’ or vows, for the truth is that the vow itself has absolutely no bearing on what has already been Decreed and Determined by Allah Subhanah!

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.685 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "Allah says, 'The ‘nadhar’ (vow) does not bring about for the son of Adam anything I have not decreed for him, but his ‘nadhar’ (vow) may coincide with what has been decided for him, and by this way I cause a miser to spend of his wealth. So he gives Me (spends in charity) for the fulfillment of what has been Decreed for him what he would not give Me before but for his vow!"

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.683 Narrated by Said bin Al Harith

that he heard Ibn 'Umar saying, "Weren't people forbidden to make ‘nadhar’ (vows)?" The Prophet (saws) said, 'A ‘nadhar’ (vow) neither hastens nor delays anything, but by the making of vows, some of the wealth of a miser is taken out."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.684 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet discouraged the making of ‘nadhar’ (vows) and said, "It (a vow) does not prevent anything (that has to take place), but (through the vow) the property of a miser is spent (taken out) with it."

Some people have a habit that they are reluctant to do a good deed or spend some of their wealth in the Cause of Allah, without putting a condition with their Lord that only if He gives him such and such, only then will he do such and such a good deed! The truth is that these conditions do not help in expediting or bringing about what their heart desires, for only that will happen what has been already Decreed and Determined by Allah Subhanah!

A better way than making a ‘nadhar’ or vow, is to do whatever good deeds one wills and beg and implore their Lord in all humility and hope to bestow upon them whatever their hearts desires.

Having said that making a ‘nadhar’ or a vow is discouraged in Islam and one should not make conditions with their Lord in their supplications, Allah Subhanah in His Glorious Quran has appreciated and praised those believers who fulfill their ‘nazars’ or vows that they have made with their Lord!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 76 Surah Dhahr verses 5-12:

5 As to the Righteous they shall drink of a Cup (of Wine) mixed with Kafur

6 A Fountain where the Devotees of Allah do drink, making it flow in unstinted abundance.

7 They perform (or fulfill their) ‘nazar’ (vows) and they fear a Day whose evil flies far and wide.

8 And they feed for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive

9 (saying): "We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: No reward do we desire from you nor thanks.

10 We only fear a Day of distressful Wrath from the side of our Lord."

11 But Allah will deliver them from the evil of that Day and will shed over them a light of Beauty and a (Blissful) Joy.

12 And because they were patient and constant, He will reward them with a Garden and (garments of) silk.

If one has already made a vow to fast, or spend in charity, of offer ‘nawafil’ prayers, or go themselves or send someone for pilgrimage, or do a good deed with this Lord when their heart’s desire is fulfilled, then it would be best for the person to now fulfill their vow they made unto their Lord; it is expected that they will have their full reward with their Lord for keeping their promises made unto Him.

But in the future, one should abstain from putting conditions or making a ‘nadhar’ or vow with the Lord when one desires a thing….but rather remain constant in doing good deeds and whenever one’s heart desires anything, one should implore and beg their Lord in supplications with absolute and total awe, humility, and hope….for the Lord responds to each and every supplication made by His believing slaves.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186:

And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.''

Narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

Salman reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Your Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted One, is Modest and Generous, and He loathes to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him in supplication."

Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban.

Your Question: My cousin recovered from his illness. My question is ` Is this a valid Niyyat ?

The ‘nadhar’ or vow made by your aunt is absolutely valid and a debt she owes unto her Lord which, if she sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, she must strive her utmost to fulfill.

Your Question: My aunt is a Doctor and at that time she was umnmarried. After marriage when she spoke about this to her husbend, he is not happy about this and disapproves her intentions. What does she do now?

With extreme politeness, patience, and above all wisdom, your aunt must try to convince her husband regarding the authenticity of the ‘vow’ she made unto her Lord; and it would be best if she could obtain her husband’s consent to permit her to fulfill her vow and her debt she now owes unto her Lord Most High.

But if even after her very best efforts, she is not able to get her husband’s consent, she will have no choice left but to fulfill her vow made unto her Lord without her husband’s consent!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3696 Narrated by An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "A creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the Creator."

Since your aunt is a professional, we assume she has her own personal wealth….and it would be akin to piety and righteousness if she would now from her own personal wealth fulfill her vow, and send her beloved nephew to the pilgrimage she intended in her vow.

Since your aunt did not specify a time-limit to fulfill her vow, and if she sincerely fears that her relations with her husband would be jeopardized if she were to fulfill her vow without his consent, she may chose to slightly delay the fulfillment of her vow….but fulfill her vow she must, if indeed she sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan