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 wrwb,

Can we make intentions to get our jobs done? Like, making intentions within ourselves like....if so and so job is done I will fast for so many days, I will give this much money in charity, I will recite durood for a specific number of times, etc. I realise I am not presenting my question in the best way but I have put my best efforts in asking this question. Plz clarify.

Jazak Allah khair. 

(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:

Permissible to make 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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The ‘promise’ that you have 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 or do a good deed when their heart’s desire is fulfilled, then it would be best for the person to now fulfill their vow; it is expected that they will have their full reward with their Lord for keeping their promises made unto Him.

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

The All Knowing, All Wise Allah knows what is good and what is bad for us; therefore, if one asks for something good, Allah will give him/her one of three things:

1.      Allah will give the believer what he/she has supplicated for.

2.      If what the believer is asking is not good or harmful for the believer in this world, Allah will store it for him for the world of the Hereafter.

3.      If what the believer is asking is not good or harmful for the believer in this world, Allah will turn away from the believer an equivalent amount of evil.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2257 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said, "Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful, or which involves breaking ties of relationship, will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil." Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he (saws) replied that Allah was more ready to answer than they were to ask.

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.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Your supplication will be answered if you are not impatient, and if you do not say, 'I supplicated but my supplication was not heard'."

Narrated by Malik.

In light of the above aayah and the various narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is evident that no supplication to Allah of a believer, is ever left unanswered.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan